Method for Generating an Ablation Program, Method for Ablating a Body and Means for Carrying Out Said Method

ABSTRACT

In a method for generating an ablation program for ablation of material from a surface of a body according to a predetermined desired ablation profile by emission of pulses of a pulsed laser beam onto the surface, the ablation program is generated from the desired ablation profile as a function of the shape of a beam profile of the laser beam and of an inclination of the surface to be ablated and/or considering a water content of the material to be ablated.

The present invention relates to a method for generating an ablationprogram for ablation of material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by emitting pulses of a pulsedlaser beam onto said surface, to a method for ablating material from asurface of a body according to a predetermined desired ablation profile,to a method for forming control signals to control a laser ablationdevice for ablating material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by means of pulses of a pulsedlaser beam emitted by the laser ablation device, and to means forcarrying out these methods.

The ablation, i.e. removal, of material from a surface of a body bymeans of a pulsed laser beam is basically known. During ablation, laserradiation or a laser beam is directed onto the surface to be ablated,where material of the body absorbs at least part of the laser radiationand, if the intensity or the input of energy is sufficient, material isremoved from the surface. Therefore, laser ablation can be employed toshape a body in a non-contacting manner, with high precision, inparticular even with only small depths of removal.

Various laser ablation methods are known for shaping.

In a variant which is suitable for ablation of a body that isapproximately spherical in the region of ablation, laser beam pulses aredirected onto the surface, with the target location onto which therespective pulse is to be directed as well as the shape and size of thebeam cross-section on the surface being set according to a predeterminedablation program. In many cases, the target location is constant for allpulses and is then not explicitly defined.

In another, particularly important variant, also referred to as “spotscanning” method, material is removed from the surface by guiding apulsed laser beam over the surface according to a predetermined ablationprogram. The ablation program is then understood to be a series oftarget locations on the surface or of corresponding data representingthe positions of the target locations onto which at least one pulse ofthe laser beam is to be respectively directed. If the beam or pulseproperties of the used laser radiation are variable, the ablationprogram can further include at least one indication of a beam or pulseproperty, particularly defining the energy of the pulse or the fluence,i.e. the energy of the pulse in relation to the irradiated area on aplane which is orthogonal to the direction of the laser beam on thesurface of the body. If the laser is working at a constant pulse energyor fluence during ablation, there is no need to provide datarepresenting the pulse energy or fluence for each pulse or targetlocation.

The ablation program is determined on the basis of a predetermineddesired ablation profile, i.e. of the definition of desired depths ofablation or depths of removal of the material to be ablated by thepulses as a function of the location on the surface. When generating theablation program, it is often assumed that each pulse ablates asingle-pulse ablation volume which is given by the cross-section of thelaser beam at the surface, assumed to be orthogonal to the direction ofthe beam for this purpose, and by the ablation depth. If several pulsesimpinge at the same location, the depths of ablation add up so that agreater total depth is achieved. The ablation program is then determinedsuch that by emission of the pulses respective ablation volumes orsingle-pulse volumes are removed from the surface at the targetlocations given by the ablation program, so that, on the whole, thedesired ablation profile is achieved in the best possible way.

An important field of application of laser ablation according to theso-called “spot scanning” method is the laser ablation of plasticlenses, e.g. contact lenses, or particularly also of corneal tissue inphoto-refractive keratectomy or LASIK for correction of defectivevision, in particular in the human eye.

In order to obtain as precisely as possible the ablation profile to beachieved, i.e. the desired ablation profile, it is essential that theablation effect of an individual pulse be well-known when generating theablation program.

As already mentioned, the process of ablation is determined by theenergy per surface area impinging on the surface to be processed or bythe effective fluence, in which case, typically, ablation actuallyoccurs only above a material-dependent threshold value for the energyper surface area.

In the case of surfaces which are inclined with respect to the laserbeam impinging on them, it has been observed that ablation is less deepthan would be expected in the case of orthogonal impingement. This canbe explained partially by the fact that the spot produced by the laserbeam on the surface has a greater surface area due to the inclinationthan in the case of perpendicular impingement, whereby the actualfluence on the surface is reduced with respect to the fluence in thecase of perpendicular impingement.

WO 01/85075 A1 describes a method for generating a control programaccording to which a laser spot is passed in a spatially and temporallycontrolled manner over a cornea that is to be photo-refractivelycorrected in order to ablate a predetermined desired ablation profilefrom the cornea. When generating the control program, the influence ofthe angle between the laser beam and the surface of the cornea on theenergy density of the laser spot impinging on the surface of the corneaand/or of that portion of the laser beam energy impinging on the surfaceof the cornea which is reflected away from the surface is taken intoconsideration.

WO 01/87201 A1 describes a system for the correction of optical errorsin an eye, said system comprising a wavefront analyzer which responds toa wavefront coming from the eye, thereby determining an optical pathdifference between a reference wave and said wavefront. A converterprovides an optical correction on the basis of the path difference and aradially dependent function of ablation efficiency. The correction ofablation efficiency uses a compensating polynomial of the formA+Bρ+Cρ²+Dρ³+ . . . +Xρ^(n), wherein ρ designates a standardized radiuswhich is measured from a central region of the cornea and takes a valueof 1 at the outer edge of the region to be corrected. The coefficientsof the polynomial are determined by comparing the desired ablation depthwith the achieved ablation depth, i.e. by experimentation.

However, the two methods just mentioned leave sufficient space for animprovement in accuracy of the ablation by using an improved ablationprogram.

When treating defective vision in the human eye by ablation using anexcimer laser, the cornea of the eye is shaped such by ablation that arefractive error which causes said defective vision is removed to thelargest possible extent. Using conventional methods, the desiredrefraction can be achieved in approximately 95% of cases with anaccuracy of approximately +/−1 diopter.

However, in individual cases there may be problems with night vision anda reduction in contrast sensitivity of twilight vision, which are due tochanges in the aspherity of the cornea by the laser surgical treatment.In a healthy eye or an eye which does not have defective vision, thecornea is somewhat prolate and has a negative aspherity with values forthe aspherity parameter Q of approximately −0.25. This aspheritycompensates for spherical aberrations in the lens of the eye. Afterlaser surgical treatment of near-sightedness, the cornea tends to besomewhat flattened, with the aspherity being substantially greater thanin the healthy eye or the eye not having defective vision. Thesedeviations may be at least partially due to the fact that the actualablation profile achieved by ablation differs from the predetermineddesired ablation profile.

For improved ablation, WO 95/27534 describes a method and a system forcarrying out photo-refractive keratectomy so as to produce a desiredrefractive correction in the corneal tissue. Said method and system usecontrol of the effect of liquid on the surface of the cornea in order toreduce the interfering influence of the liquid on the desired ablationprocess while maintaining the water content of the cornea. It issuggested to control the mean repetition frequency of pulses emittedonto the cornea's surface, so as to reduce an accumulation of liquidbetween pulses, without dehydrating the cornea, or to select anincreased fluence for the pulse emitted onto the cornea's surface so asto reduce the effect of liquid accumulated on the cornea's surface. Itis further suggested that, before a pulse intended for ablation isemitted to a site, evaporation energy should be supplied to the latter.

These known methods also still leave room for improving the accuracy ofablation by the use of an improved ablation program.

Therefore, it is an object of a first aspect of the present invention toprovide a method for generating an ablation program, which allowshigh-precision ablation, and means for carrying out said method. Afurther object consists in providing a corresponding method for ablatingmaterial from a surface of a body, said method allowing high precisionof ablation, and means for carrying out said method of ablation.

According to the first aspect of the invention, said object is achievedby a first method for generating an ablation program, namely a methodfor generating an ablation program for ablation of material from asurface of a body according to a predetermined desired ablation profileby the emission of pulses of a pulsed laser beam onto the surface,wherein the ablation program is generated from the desired ablationprofile as a function of the shape of a beam profile of the laser beamand of an inclination of the surface to be ablated.

An ablation program, in particular the ablation program generated bymeans of the first generating method of the invention and to be used forablation, is understood to be—as described above—at least one definitionof a sequence of target locations or target directions onto or in whichthe pulses of the laser beam are emitted. In addition, the ablationprogram can either contain or predetermine either one value of pulseenergy or of fluence for the entire sequence or, for each pulse or groupof pulses, one value each of the pulse energy or fluence to be used forthe pulse or group of pulses. In the second case, the values may dependon the target location. In this case, the ablation profile is understoodto be an indication of the ablation depth as a function of the locationon the surface or of a direction of the laser beam with respect to thebody. Thus, said profile may be a desired, theoretical or actualprofile.

The method considers the inclination of the surface, i.e. theinclination of the surface relative to the direction of the laser beamon the surface or relative to a fixed reference direction. The referencedirection may be, for example, a direction given by a predeterminedcentral direction of the laser beam from which the laser beam isdeflected only at very small angles in order to reach different targetlocations on the surface of the body. The inclination of the surface ofthe body is generally position-dependent and is preferably considered,at least by approximation, for each pulse in a manner depending on theposition of the target location of the pulse.

The invention or the described aspect of the invention is based on theconcept, among others, that the energy per surface area actuallyeffective for ablation, i.e. the effective fluence, of a pulse of thepulsed laser beam impinging on the surface of the body depends not onlyon the surface's inclination relative to the direction of the laser beamat the surface, but also on the beam profile of the laser beam, inparticular at the surface of the body. The beam profile is understood tobe the course of the intensity or of the surface area-related energy orfluence of the pulse over the beam cross-section near the surface. Theshape of the beam profile does not include any absolute values ofintensity or energy or of the fluence relating to a cross-sectional areawhich is perpendicular to the laser beam, but merely includes the run ofthese quantities. Therefore, the method is suitable, in particular, forablation with laser beams having a non-constant beam profile.

In the following, fluence is understood to be the energy of the laserradiation with respect to a surface area orthogonal to the direction ofthe laser beam. This should be distinguished from the fluence effectivefor ablation, which shall be referred to hereinafter as effectivefluence and designates the energy per surface area of the surface whichmay be inclined. The effective fluence is identical with the fluenceonly when the direction of the laser beam is orthogonal to the surface.The fluence of a pulse is understood to be the value at a given point,preferably the center, of the beam profile. Since the beam shape isassumed to be known, this indication suffices to specify the beamprofile.

In many cases, ablation only takes place if the effective fluencelocally exceeds a material-dependent threshold value of the fluence formaterial removal. Portions of the beam profile with values for theeffective fluence that are below this threshold value do not lead toablation, so that the actual ablation by a pulse may differsignificantly from the ablation assumed in known methods for generatingan ablation program. Consideration of only the inclination of thesurface relative to the laser beam and a corresponding magnification ofthe spot generated by the laser beam on the surface, does not take thiseffect into consideration and would therefore lead to an inaccurateprediction of the ablation volume ablated by one single pulse.Therefore, the consideration of the ablation's dependence on the beamprofile is advantageous, particularly when using laser beams whosefluence is below the material-dependent threshold fluence value in someregions of the beam cross-section. Thus, by simultaneous considerationof the inclination to the surface to be ablated and of the shape of thebeam profile, an ablation program to be used for ablation can begenerated, which, in the case of an ablation according to said ablationprogram, leads to an ablation profile that comes very close to thedesired ablation profile to be achieved or is ideally identicaltherewith.

Of course, the ablation program may also depend on further variables,e.g. further beam parameters, such as the beam diameter at the surfaceof the body, the threshold fluence value at which ablation begins, andfurther variables.

The generating method for generating an ablation program can be carriedout according to the first aspect of the invention by means of a firstgenerating device. The device for generating an ablation program forablation of material from a surface according to a desired ablationprofile by emitting pulses of a pulsed laser beam onto the surfacecomprises a data processing device which is provided to carry out thefirst generating method according to the invention.

In particular, the data processing device may comprise a processor forexecution of a computer program by means of which the ablation programcan be generated according to the first generating method of theinvention, if the computer program is executed on the computer, as wellas a memory in which the program is stored.

The desired ablation profile may be represented in any desired manner.For example, it may be given by points on a predetermined point grid ina reference planes and by definitions of the ablation depth which arerespectively assigned to said points. However, it is also possible todefine the desired ablation profile parameterized by at least onefunctional parameter and a value of the functional parameter, thefunction and the value of the functional parameter being selected suchthat the function defines the ablation depth depending on the functionalparameter's value and on the location in the reference plane. In thecase of a function-related representation, polynomials, splines, Zernikepolynomials or other representations may be used, for example.

The surface data required to generate the ablation program and fromwhich the inclination can be directly determined allow to directlydefine the surface inclination as a function of the location, thegradients of the surface level above a predetermined reference plane inwhich the locations are indicated, or even the levels of the surfaceabove the reference plane as a function of the location, particularlyallowing to use also the possibilities of representation mentioned withrespect to the desired ablation profile. If these data do not explicitlycontain the inclination, e.g. given as corresponding angles, thisinformation can be simply determined by gradient formation and/or theuse of trigonometric relationships.

Depending on the application, the desired ablation profile and/or thedata relating to the surface inclination can be stored in the dataprocessing device, which is particularly convenient if several identicalbodies are to be ablated one after the other. If different desiredablation profiles are respectively used for different ablations, thedata processing device may comprise an interface for determining thedesired ablation profile, which interface may be provided bycorresponding circuits and/or by a software interface. The desiredablation profile can then be input or read in via the interface, forexample.

Although the surface data may change with respect to the inclination ofthe surface, the first generating device according to the invention mayfurther comprise an interface for determining surface data whichdirectly or indirectly represent the inclination of the surface. Theinterface may be provided in the same manner as the interface fordetermining the desired ablation profile.

The further object of providing an ablation method is achieved by afirst method of ablation, namely a method for ablating material from asurface of a body according to a predetermined desired ablation profileby means of a pulsed laser beam, which is guided over the surface andhas a predetermined beam profile shape, wherein an ablation program isgenerated by the first generating method according to the invention, andpulses of the laser beam are directed onto the surface according to thegenerated ablation program.

The pulses may preferably be emitted periodically, although this neednot necessarily be the case.

Moreover, the object is achieved by a first device for ablation, namelya device for ablation of material from a surface of a body whichcomprises a laser emitting a pulsed laser beam, a deflecting device forcontrolled deflection of the laser beam, and a generating deviceaccording to the invention.

In addition to the first generating device according to the invention,the first ablation device of the invention comprises a laser suitablefor ablation and a deflecting device by means of which a laser beamemitted by the laser can be directed onto the surface to be ablated. Thedeflecting device and the laser are controllable as a function of theablation program generated by the first generating device so that pulsesof the pulsed laser beam emitted by the laser are directed ontocorresponding target locations on the surface.

In order to control the deflecting device and/or the laser, the firstgenerating device may preferably comprise a control unit for controllinga laser to emit the laser beam and/or a deflecting device for deflectingthe laser beam according to a generated ablation program. In this case,the control unit may be provided independently of the data processingdevice and may be connected to the latter by a data link fortransmission of the ablation program. The control unit is preferablyrealized, at least partially, by units of the data processing devicewhich allow control commands to be output to the laser and/or thedeflecting device by the ablation program in connection withcorresponding circuits of the control unit. Therefore, the laser and/orthe deflecting device in the ablation device is preferably connected tothe control unit via a corresponding control link. This allows toachieve a particularly simple construction.

The inclination of the surface and the shape of the laser beam profilemay be taken into consideration in different ways. In order to enablethe use of conventional methods for generating ablation programs and, inparticular, methods for generating ablation programs assuming a constantbeam profile, i.e. a so-called “top hat” profile, the inclination of thesurface and the shape of the beam profile can be effected by way of apre-compensation of the errors occurring in simple generating methods,by which pre-compensation the desired ablation profile is suitablymodified. For this purpose, it is preferred that, in order to considerthe inclination of the surface and the shape of the beam profile, thedesired ablation profile is used to determine a modified orpre-compensated desired ablation profile as a function of at least theshape of the beam profile and the inclination of the surface at arespective target location on the surface, and the ablation program isgenerated on the basis of the modified or pre-compensated ideal ablationprogram. In order to determine the ablation program from the modified orpre-compensated desired ablation profile, simple generating methods canbe used which, according to the first aspect of the present invention,are understood to be generating methods which do not simultaneously usethe beam profile and the surface inclination to generate the ablationprofile. Examples of such simple generating methods are described in DE19727573 C1 or EP 1060710 A2, the respective contents of which arehereby incorporated into this description by reference.

The desired ablation profile is preferably modified such that ablationaccording to the ablation program generated on the basis of the modifieddesired ablation program results at least approximately in the desiredablation profile to be achieved. The errors which occur using a simplegenerating method in order to generate an ablation program by notconsidering the beam profile and the inclination of the surface relativeto the beam can be compensated for by a corresponding modification ofthe desired ablation profile, i.e. of the output data for generating theablation program, so that a simple generating method can still be usedas a consequence. In this connection, the type and extent of thepre-compensation or modification may depend on the properties of thesimple generating method used or on the model-related assumptionsproviding the basis of said method. In this way, an enhancement ofablation precision can be achieved while it is possible to resort tosimple generating methods.

For this purpose, it is preferred that for at least two surface regionsto be ablated one value of a modification function be respectivelydetermined as a function of at least one of the shape of the beamprofile and the inclination of the surface in the respective region andthat the modified or pre-compensated desired ablation profile bedetermined using the desired ablation profile and the values of themodification function. The ablation program may thus be generated, inparticular, by a simple generating method. The values of themodification function are preferably calculated for each pulse or foreach surface location onto which a pulse is to be directed. For eachregion or for each target location, the values can be calculated anew.However, it is also possible to calculate the values only once and thenstore them in a table, for example as a function of the inclination,from which table they can then be respectively read out if required.

Preferably, the modification function additionally depends on theintensity, the energy or the fluence of the pulses used for ablation. Inparticular, the modification function may also depend on a thresholdvalue for the energy or for the effective fluence, said value indicatingthe energy or effective fluence at which ablation of the material beginsto occur.

In particular, the modification function may depend on thedimension-less ratio of the fluence and the threshold fluence valueand/or the angle of inclination.

According to another alternative, which also allows the use of simplemethods to generate ablation programs, it is envisaged that apreliminary ablation program be determined from the desired ablationprofile, that for at least one of the pulses to be emitted a desiredvalue be determined for its energy or fluence depending on the shape ofthe beam profile, on the inclination of the surface in the region ontowhich the pulse is to be emitted, and on a prediction of the ablationdepth using the preliminary ablation program, and that the generatedablation program comprise the target location of the pulse according tothe preliminary ablation program and the determined desired value forthe energy or fluence of the pulse. In this case, the pulse energy orfluence near the surface is determined. This means that there is no needto modify the desired ablation profile. Rather, an occurring reductionof the actual ablation depth with respect to an ablation depth assumedfor perpendicular impingement of the laser beam on the surface and for aconstant beam profile, is accounted for by changing, for exampleincreasing, the energy or fluence of the pulses. Thus, pulses aresubsequently emitted onto a predetermined region during ablation with anenergy corresponding to the inclination of said region and to the beamprofile used. The indication of the pulse energy together with therespective location onto which the pulse is to be directed is then partof the finally generated ablation program used for ablation.

The setting of the energy or fluence of a pulse may be effected in atleast three ways which may be applied alternatively or in combination.In a first variant, the laser beam is attenuated in order to set theenergy or fluence of a pulse. For this purpose, the control unit ispreferably provided to control a modulator which attenuates the laserbeam. For this purpose, the first ablation device according to theinvention comprises, in addition to the control unit, a modulator whichis connected to the control unit and attenuates the laser beam undercontrol of the control unit. Any means allowing to reduce the intensityof the laser beam emitted by the laser may serve as the modulator. Forexample, Pockel's cells or liquid crystal elements with controllabletransmittance can be used. For example, the modulator may have apolarization-dependent effect or a wavelength-dependent effect. The useof modulators allows easy setting of the pulse energy in any type oflaser.

In the second variant, the laser used to emit the pulsed laser beam maybe controlled so as to set the energy or fluence of a pulse. For thispurpose, the control unit, in particular, may be suitably provided tocontrol the laser. In the first ablation device according to theinvention, the laser is then preferably controllable by means of thecontrol unit. When excimer lasers are used, the control unit cancontrol, in particular, the high voltage for charging a capacitor or amultiplicity of capacitors in order to store energy for generating alaser pulse. Control of the pulse energy or fluence of the laser has theadvantage that less energy is needed.

As a third variant, the beam cross-section of the laser beam on thesurface may be changed in order to set the fluence of a pulse. For thispurpose, the first ablation device according to the invention maypossess a corresponding beam-shaping optical device which is controlledby the control unit.

If maximum precision, i.e. a minimum deviation between the desiredablation profile and the actual ablation profile, is to be achievedduring ablation, it is preferred to determine a preliminary ablationprogram from the desired ablation profile, to predict a predictedablation profile using the preliminary ablation program as a function ofthe beam profile shape and the inclination of the surface, and to usethe predicted ablation profile to generate the ablation program to beused. The prediction of the ablation profile or of the ablation depthmay be effected by a suitable model. This approach allows highprecision, because a comparison can be made between the predictedablation profile and the desired ablation profile.

Particularly when using a modification function or a modified fluence orpulse energy, the modification function or the fluence or pulse energycan be preferably determined for one respective target location each ofa pulse and thus for the entire pulse. The modification function is thenassumed to be spatially constant for the given pulse, which represents agood approximation if the change in inclination relative to the size ofthe distance between adjacent points of impingement of laser pulses issmall. This is in line, particularly, with the procedure of simplegenerating methods wherein only single-pulse ablation volumes areconsidered. This approach has the advantage of being simple. However, itis preferred, particularly with regard to great changes in surfaceinclination, that the predicted ablation profile be determined at leastat two points which are spaced apart by less than the diameter of thelaser beam on the surface of the body. In other words, the predictedablation profile is determined using a spatial resolution that is betterthan the diameter of the laser beam on the surface of the body. Forexample, the predicted ablation profile may be used for points of apoint grid whose grid spacing is smaller than the diameter of the laserbeam. This method variant has the advantage that any change in theinclination of the surface can be taken into consideration.

In the alternative method in which an ablation profile is predicted, apre-compensated desired ablation profile is preferably determined usingthe predicted ablation profile and the predetermined desired ablationprofile, and the ablation program to be used is generated from thepre-compensated desired ablation profile. This alternative has theadvantage that a simple, e.g. known generating method for generating theablation program to be used can be employed after generating thepre-compensated desired ablation profile. The influences of the beamprofile shape and/or of the surface inclination which are not consideredby simple generating methods are taken into consideration by thecorresponding pre-compensation which depends on the shape of the beamprofile and on the inclination of the surface, so that during ablationaccording to the ablation program to be used, the desired ablationprofile is obtained at least approximately.

The described procedure using a predicted ablation profile alreadyallows good pre-compensation. In order to achieve particularly highprecision, the ablation program to be used is preferably generated in aniterative manner in that a preliminary ablation program is determined inat least one actual iteration step from a modified desired ablationprofile determined in an earlier step, an actual predicted ablationprofile is predicted on the basis of the preliminary ablation program asa function of the beam profile shape and of the surface inclination, anactual modified desired ablation profile is determined using the actualpredicted ablation profile, and the ablation program to be used isgenerated as a function of the predetermined desired ablation profileand at least one of the modified desired ablation profiles after thelast iteration loop. In this iterative method, a successive improvementof the ablation program and, thus, particularly high precision can beachieved. In the first iteration step, the desired ablation profile canbe used instead of a modified desired ablation profile.

When using a pre-compensated or modified desired ablation profile, onevalue each of a modification function is preferably determined for atleast two surface regions to be ablated, as a function of at least thevalue of the predicted ablation profile and the predetermined desiredablation profile. The pre-compensated ablation profile is thendetermined using the predetermined desired ablation profile and thevalues of the modification function. In an iterative approach, themodification function can be determined particularly as a function ofthe predetermined desired ablation profile and of the modified ablationprofiles so that, after the last iteration loop, the pre-compensateddesired ablation profile is first determined using the modificationfunction and via the modification function depending on thepredetermined desired ablation profile and on the modified desiredablation profiles, and then the ablation program to be used is generatedfrom the pre-compensated desired ablation profile, for example by usinga simple generating method. The use of a modification function allowsparticularly easy consideration of the influences of the beam profileshape and of the surface inclination. In this case, the modificationfunction may be provided analytically and may then explicitly depend, inparticular, on the intensity, the energy or the fluence of the pulses tobe used for ablation, or it may be given by values at supportinglocations of the desired ablation profile or supporting locations fordescribing the surface, which are numerically determined.

For example, iteration may be aborted after a predetermined number ofiteration loops. However, an abortion criterion preferably verified inat least one iteration is whether the predicted ablation profiledetermined in a previous iteration corresponds to the ablation profilepredicted in the current iteration step according to a predeterminedcriterion, and if it is found to correspond, no further iteration stepsare passed through. A criterion to be verified may be, for example,whether the ratio of the predicted ablation profiles for all locationsin the region to be ablated in two subsequent iteration loops differs byless than a predetermined limit value of 1. Alternatively, it may beverified, for example, whether the differences between the predictedablation profiles for all locations in the region to be ablated in twosubsequent iteration loops are smaller than another predetermined limitvalue.

Under certain circumstances, the predicted ablation profile, due to thecalculation at discrete locations, for example on a grid, is not smooth,but has peaks which represent artifacts.

Therefore, the corresponding predicted ablation profile or a functiondetermined therefrom, in particular the desired ablation profile or thefunction given by the values of the modification function, is preferablysmoothened prior to generating the actual ablation program. For thispurpose, use can be made, in particular, of corresponding equalizingmethods or low-pass filters.

In order to be able to consider with maximum precision the influence ofthe beam profile shape and of the surface inclination, e.g. in the formof the modification function or the determination of the predictedablation profile, a model is preferably used by means of which theprofile of the ablation depth can be predicted for a pulse as a functionof the shape of the beam profile. In doing so, models may be used whicheither represent the entire volume ablated by a pulse or even locallyrepresent the ablation depth as a function of at least the fluence atthe location with a resolution greater than the beam cross-section. Suchmodels are generally known.

In particular in case the generation of the ablation program using thefirst method according to the invention requires a relatively greatamount of time as compared to the duration of the actual ablation, it isrecommended to generate the ablation program prior to beginning theablation. The ablation program, i.e. the series of target locations ontowhich the pulses are to be directed, and, where appropriate, thecorresponding pulse energies, may then be temporarily stored in order tobe successively read out later when effecting the actual ablation.

If a change in fluence or in the energy of the pulses occurs as afunction of the surface inclination and of the beam profile shape, it ispreferred to determine during ablation the energy or fluence of at leasttwo pulses as a function of the beam profile shape and the surfaceinclination in the respective region onto which the respective pulse isemitted. In particular, only a preliminary ablation program may beinitially present, for example one which has been generated by a simplegenerating method and which indicates the target locations onto whichthe pulses are to be directed. For each of the target locations, thepulse energy or fluence can then be suitably determined, and the pulseenergy or fluence can be controlled. Thus, the ablation programcomprises the target locations of the preliminary ablation program,supplemented by the corresponding settings for the pulse energies or thefluence values. An advantage of this embodiment is that it enables partof the ablation program of use to be generated during ablation,particularly also allowing consideration of changes in the beam profileduring ablation.

The beam profile need not necessarily be variable over time. Rather, theshape of the beam profile may be constant for a given ablation device,so that the generating method can always use the same shape of the beamprofile which may then be stored, for example, in the generating device.As an alternative, it is possible that the functional shape of the beamprofile, for example corresponding to a parametrized Gaussian function,is fixed, in which case, however, a shape-determining parameter, e.g.the half width in case of a Gaussian function, is read in. However, inorder to allow for any desired variability of the beam profile shapeduring ablation or even during subsequent ablations, it is preferredthat the data processing device in the generating device according tothe invention comprise an interface for input of data characterizing theshape of the beam profile of the laser beam. In this case, too, theinterface may comprise a physical and/or a software interface. The beamprofile may in turn be described either in the form of values forintensity, energy or fluence as a function of the position in the beamprofile, or by indicating values of shape parameters of a function whichis parametrized by the shape parameters and which represents the shapeof the beam profile. In particular, the interface may be provided formanual input of data and/or for automatic transmission of data via adata link.

In order to facilitate detection of a beam profile, the generatingdevice preferably comprises a device for detecting the shape of the beamprofile of the laser beam. This device detects not only the shape of thebeam profile, but preferably also enables detection of at least onefurther beam parameter, e.g. the cross-section of the laser beam.According to this method, it is then preferred that in order to generatethe ablation program, the beam profile be measured, preferablyautomatically, for which purpose the device for detection of the beamprofile may be used. The detection or measurement may be effected beforegenerating the ablation program or, if the ablation program is generatedfast enough, during generation of the ablation program or duringablation. If a computer program is used to carry out the generatingmethod, said program comprises respective instructions for controllingthe device for detection of the beam profile and for reading in suitabledata.

For this purpose, the device particularly preferably comprises aspatially resolving detector for laser radiation, which detector isconnected to the data processing device, and a beam splitter which isarranged in the beam path of the laser beam and which deflects part ofthe laser beam onto the detector.

As an alternative, detection methods using a movable slit aperture,pinhole aperture or edge aperture can be used, which is suitably movedin a scanning manner in front of a radiation detector arranged behindit; the beam profile is then determined from the measured values. Such amethod is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,855.

In order to generate the ablation program, it is necessary to know theinclination of the surface in the region to be ablated. If surfaces witha simple geometry are present, manual input of corresponding surfaceparameters, from which the inclination can be determined in aposition-dependent manner, is possible. For example, it is possible toindicate the radius of curvature in case of a spherical geometry as itis present in the cornea, the two main curvatures in case of a toricalsurface, as well as the coordinates of the central positions (sphericalor torus axis, respectively) in case of a lateral offset of theabove-mentioned surfaces, the angle and direction of inclination in caseof a simple inclined, planar surface, and an aspherity parameter in caseof aspherical surfaces, such as surface regions of an ellipsoid.

The corresponding data can be input simply via the correspondinginterface. However, in the first generating method according to theinvention topographical data of the surface are preferably detected inorder to generate the ablation program. The detected surface topographydata define the inclination of the surface either directly or allow theinclination to be determined. In principle, the interface for detectionof the surface data can be provided for manual input of the data or forreading the data in from a predetermined data carrier or from acorresponding device. However, the data are preferably acquiredautomatically. This has the advantage that it is then easier tocorrelate a coordinate system in which the desired ablation profile isgiven with a coordinate system in which the surface data are defined.For this purpose, the first generating device comprises a device foracquiring topographical data of the surface to be ablated. Said devicecan be controlled by the data processing device to automatically acquirethe data. In particular, the device for acquiring topographical data issuitable to acquire data relating to the inclination of the surface tobe ablated. Surface topography data or inclinations can be determined,for example, by Placido ring methods or devices, strip projectionmethods or devices, or by optical coherence tomographs.

Like the surface topography data, the desired ablation profile may beinput manually from a data carrier or via a data link, principally afterprior determination. However, it is preferred that, in order to generatethe ablation program, data for determining the desired ablation profilebe acquired, preferably automatically. For this purpose, the firstgenerating device preferably comprises a device for acquiring data inorder to determine the desired ablation profile. Said device ispreferably controlled by the data processing device. For example, incase of the correction of defective vision, it is possible to usecorresponding diagnostic instruments and methods for determining theeye's refractive power and particularly also aberrometers or wavefrontanalyzers, e.g. of the Hartmann-Shack type. Calculations can beperformed by means of suitable computer program modules either via aseparate, suitably programmed computer or preferably by using the dataprocessing device that is present in the device anyway.

In this connection, it may prove advantageous if data are read in whichindicate the position of a reference point of a coordinate system forthe surface to be ablated and/or of a reference point of a coordinatesystem for the desired ablation profile. In particular, the relativepositions of these reference points with respect to each other or theirpositions in a common coordinate system can be indicated. As referencepoints, the corresponding coordinate origins are preferably used. Forthis purpose, the device preferably comprises an input interface bymeans of which a reference point of a coordinate system for the surfaceto be ablated and/or a reference point of a coordinate system for thedesired ablation profile can be input. If the shape to be ablated doesnot have rotation symmetry, data relating to the orientation of thecoordinate systems relative to each other may also be additionally readin, where appropriate. The data processing device is preferably providedto transfer the data of the desired ablation profile or of the surfacetopography or inclination, respectively, to a common coordinate system.

If the data indicating the surface topography or inclination and thedata of the desired ablation profile are automatically determined, themethod according to the invention may also be used, in particular, inablation methods in which the surface topography and optical propertiesare determined and a temporary desired ablation profile is determinedand is at least partially ablated during ablation. Such a method isdescribed, for example, in WO 01/12113 A1, the respective contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated in the description by reference.

In addition to the beam profile and the inclination, in particular ofbiological material like the cornea of the eye, there may also beindividual differences in the properties of the corneal material and, asthe case may be, changes in the shape of the surface appearing during orafter treatment and caused by treatment. Therefore, it is preferred toeffect pre-compensation as a function of an ablation property of thematerial, which property depends on the individual body, and/or as afunction of a change in surface and/or material properties to beexpected during and/or as a result of ablation. As used herein, asurface property is also understood to be a change in shape. For thispurpose, a corresponding correction factor can be used in addition tothe inclination-dependent modification function. Thus, effects such asthe water content of the material or, particularly in case of a materialtreatment in a living body, a change in surface shape after ablation byhealing effects can thus be advantageously taken into consideration.

In order to be able to effect an even more precise ablation, it ispreferred, according to the first generating method in which thematerial contains water, to pass the laser beam over the surface duringthe ablation to be carried out, and to generate the ablation program onthe basis of the desired ablation profile, additionally considering awater content of the material to be ablated. In this manner, theinfluence of the water on the ablation behavior can also be taken intoconsideration.

A computer program containing program code to carry out a generatingmethod of the invention, in particular the first such method, issuitable to generate the ablation program when the program is beingexecuted on a computer.

Moreover, the subject matter of the invention is a computer productcomprising program code stored on a computer-readable data carrier inorder to carry out a generating method of the invention, in particularthe first such method, when the computer program product is beingexecuted on a computer. A data carrier is understood herein to be anydata carrier, in particular a magnetic data carrier, such as a disketteor hard disk, for example, a magneto-optical data carrier, an opticaldata carrier, e.g. a CD, DVD or Blue Ray Disc, or any other non-volatilememory, such as a so-called Flash-ROM, for example.

A computer is understood here to be any data processing device, inparticular a data processing device of the first generating device, bywhich the method can be carried out when the program is being executedthereon. In particular, said device may comprise a digital signalprocessor and/or a programmable microprocessor by which the method iscarried out completely or in part. The processor may be connected to astorage device in which the computer program and/or data for executionof the computer program is/are stored.

As mentioned above, for example when using a laser beam with a beamprofile that varies considerably, e.g. a Gaussian beam profile, a rathersignificant portion of the fluence may be below the threshold for theablation of material in some regions, e.g. at the borders of the laserspot generated by the laser beam on the surface or of the beam profile,respectively. These pulse components do not lead to ablation, but onlyresult in often undesired heating of the material.

Therefore, the first ablation method of the invention preferably uses alaser beam which has a beam profile, at least near the surface of thebody, that is not below a predetermined minimum intensity or fluenceover the entire cross-section. The threshold value for the ablation ofmaterial from the body to be processed is used at least approximately asthe minimum intensity or minimum fluence. The use of a beam profilehaving a Gaussian shape which is cut off at the edges, being alsoreferred to as a “truncated Gaussian” profile, is particularlypreferred, because it is easy to generate. For this purpose, theablation device preferably comprises a beam-shaping device, by means ofwhich the beam profile of the laser beam can be shaped such that, atleast near the surface of the body, the beam profile is not below thepredetermined minimum intensity or minimum fluence over its entirecross-section.

A method for ablating material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by means of a pulsed laser beamhaving such a beam profile and being passed over the surface, and anablation device for ablation of material from a surface of a body, whichdevice comprises a laser emitting a pulsed laser beam, a deflectingdevice for controlled deflection of the laser beam, and a generatingdevice according to the invention as well as a beam-shaping device bymeans of which a beam profile of the laser beam emitted by the laser canbe shaped such that, at least near the surface of the body, the beamprofile is not below the predetermined minimum intensity value over theentire cross-section of said profile, also constitutes an invention perse, independent from the method according to the invention forgenerating an ablation program and from a corresponding ablation method.

A second aspect of the present invention is based on the secondobject—which is to be regarded as principally independent from the firstobject—to provide a method for generating an ablation program for theablation of water-containing material from a surface of a body accordingto a predetermined desired ablation profile by emission of pulses of apulsed laser beam onto the surface, which method minimizes deviationsbetween the desired ablation profile and the actual ablation profileactually achievable by ablation using the ablation program, saiddeviations being due to properties of the body. A further object onwhich the second aspect of the invention is based consists in providingmeans for carrying out said method.

This second object is achieved by a second method for generating anablation program, namely a method for generating an ablation program forthe ablation of water-containing material from a surface of a bodyaccording to a predetermined desired ablation profile by emission ofpulses of a pulsed laser beam onto the surface, wherein the ablationprogram is generated on the basis of the desired ablation profile andconsiderating a water content of the material to be ablated.

In this connection, an ablation program, in particular the ablationprogram generated by means of the generating method according to theinvention and used for ablation, is understood to be—as describedabove—at least one indication of a series of beam shapes of a pulsedlaser beam and/or of target locations or directions by which or ontowhich or into which the pulses of the laser beam are emitted. Inaddition, the ablation program can contain or predetermine either onevalue of the pulse energy or of fluence for the entire sequence or, foreach pulse or group of pulses, one value each of the pulse energy orfluence to be used for the pulse or group of pulses. In the second case,the values may depend on the target location. In this case, the ablationprofile is understood to be an indication of the ablation depth as afunction of the location on the surface or of a direction of the laserbeam with respect to the body. Thus, said profile may be a desired,theoretical profile or an actual profile.

The second method for generating an ablation program is based on apredetermined desired ablation profile. The desired ablation profile maybe represented in any desired manner. For example, it may be given bypoints on a predetermined point grid in a reference plane and byindications of the ablation depth which are respectively assigned tosaid points. However, it is also possible to indicate the desiredablation profile by at least one function parametrized by at least onefunctional parameter and by a value of the functional parameter, thefunction and the value of the functional parameter being selected suchthat the function indicates the ablation depth depending on thefunctional parameter's value and on the location in the reference plane.In the case of a function-related representation, polynomials, splines,Zernike polynomials or other representations may be used, for example.

The second method is provided for generating an ablation program for theablation of water-containing material. The water may be contained in thematerial in any concentration or in any weight or volume percentage, butthe material is assumed to be substantially dimensionally stable atleast on a time scale of several minutes. The water may be incorporatedin a matrix or may be bound, preferably physically, to a furthersubstance of the material. The material may be, in particular,biological tissue. Particularly preferably, the method may be used forablation of material from the cornea of the human eye. In order to takethe water content into consideration, it may be given particularly inthe form of corresponding data. The water may, of course, include stillfurther substances, e.g. salts or other dissolved matter.

The invention, i.e. the aspect of the invention given by the secondmethod, is based on the concept, among others, that the ablation depthcaused by emission of a laser pulse onto the body and down to whichmaterial is ablated by the individual laser pulse depends on the watercontent in the volume to be ablated. This dependence could be due, forexample, to the fact that for ablation the energy of a pulse serves todetach the entire material, including the water contained therein. Thewater may have a different absorption for the laser radiation and adifferent evaporation heat than at least one further substance which thematerial comprises. If the water content changes, the ablationproperties may also change due to the modified composition of thematerial.

Now, when generating the ablation program, the water content ispreferably taken into consideration such that the actual ablationprofile achieved by an ablation according to the ablation programcorresponds as closely as possible to the desired ablation profile. Theprimary object here is to take the water content into consideration forpredetermining the properties and target locations of pulses to beemitted, but not to influence the water content, for example, in thesense of keeping it constant. Thus, it is not attempted to keep thewater content of the body, e.g. the cornea, or a liquid film on the bodyas constant as possible by selection of the ablation conditions, but theablation program is adapted to the existing or the expected watercontent of the body.

The consideration of the water content may be effected, in particular,such that the dependence of a pulse's ablating effect on the watercontent, in particular on a variation of the water content, andoptionally also the change in water content by the ablation is detected.Variations in water content may occur particularly in a body spatiallyas well as during the course of the ablation, i.e. temporally, on theone hand, and as a deviation from a typical, e.g. statistical, meanvalue between several bodies, on the other hand.

Taking the water content into consideration allows to generate anablation program which leads to an actual ablation profile duringablation, said profile coming very close or even corresponding to thedesired ablation profile even in case of water contents that vary fromablation to ablation or vary in the material. This is very advantageous,in particular, for the ablation of biological tissue.

The ablation program may depend on still further parameters, e.g. beamparameters such as the beam diameter at the surface of the body, thepulse energy or fluence used, the pulse repetition frequency, as well asother material properties of the material to be ablated.

The second generating method according to the invention can be carriedout by means of a second generating device according to the invention.Such a device for generating an ablation program for the ablation ofwater-containing material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by emission of pulses of a laserbeam onto the surface, wherein the laser beam is passed over thesurface, comprises a data processing device which is provided to carryout the second method according to the invention for generating anablation program.

In particular, the data processing device may comprise a processor forexecution of a computer program by means of which the ablation programcan be generated according to the generating method of the invention, inparticular the second generating method, when the computer program isexecuted on the computer, as well as a memory in which the program isstored. Moreover, the data processing device may also comprise aphysical and/or software interface via which the desired ablationprofile or data for calculating it can be read or input into the device.This is of particular advantage if different desired ablation profilesare to be used for different ablations.

A further object of the invention, particularly with regard to thesecond aspect, is a method for generating control signals to control alaser of a laser ablation device to emit a pulsed laser beam and/or adeflecting device of the laser ablation device so as to deflect thelaser beam in order to ablate water-containing material from a surfaceof a body according to a predetermined desired ablation profile by meansof pulses of a pulsed laser beam, wherein an ablation program for thepredetermined desired ablation profile is generated by the secondgenerating method according to the invention and control signals areoutput to the laser and/or the deflecting device in accordance with theablation program.

Accordingly, a device for generating control signals for a laser and/ora deflecting device of a laser ablation device, in order to ablatewater-containing material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by means of pulses of a pulsedlaser beam, is also an object of the invention, said device comprising asecond generating device according to the invention for generating anablation program on the basis of the predetermined desired ablationprofile, and a control unit for emitting control signals according tothe generated ablation program to the laser and/or the deflecting devicefor deflection of the laser beam emitted by the laser.

The control unit, by means of which the control signals are generatedand preferably emitted, can be provided independently of the dataprocessing device and can be connected to the latter by a data link fortransmission of the ablation program. It is preferably realized, atleast in part, by units of the data processing device by means of whichcontrol commands can be output to the laser and/or to the deflectingdevice by the ablation program in combination with suitable circuits ofthe control unit, which advantageously results in a particularly simpleconstruction. The deflecting device and the laser are controllable as afunction of the ablation program generated by the first generatingdevice so that pulses of the pulsed laser beam emitted by the laser aredirected onto corresponding target locations on the surface.

The laser ablation device may comprise, in particular, the controlsignal-generating device, which results in the advantage of aparticularly compact design. Therefore, the laser and/or the deflectingdevice in the laser ablation device is/are preferably connected to thecontrol unit via a corresponding control link.

Ablation according to the above-mentioned “spot scanning” method has theadvantage that, in most cases, simply any ablation profile can beablated. Therefore, the generating method and the generating devicepreferably serve to generate an ablation program for the ablation ofwater-containing material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile, by emitting pulses of a laserbeam onto the surface, over which said laser beam is passed. Theablation program then preferably comprises a series of target locationsand target directions with which or onto which or in which the pulses ofthe laser beam are preferably emitted. If pulses are sequentiallyemitted onto the same target location, the target location has to bespecified only once, if the number of pulses to be emitted onto saidtarget location is specified at the same time.

In the following, preferred embodiments and improvements of theinvention according to a second aspect will be described, which alsorepresent, in particular, preferred embodiments and improvements of thefirst aspect of the invention, i.e. of the first generating method, thefirst generating device, the first ablation method and the firstcomputer program, in which the beam shape and the inclination are takeninto consideration.

In principle, it may suffice for the generating method to assume thewater content of the material to be constant throughout the entirevolume to be ablated. However, it is preferred that, when generating theablation program, the water content taken into consideration is afunction of the location on the surface or in a region to be ablated.This approach has the advantage that, on the one hand, local differencesin the water content of the region to be ablated, which is defined bythe desired ablation profile, or volume to be ablated and, on the otherhand, the differences caused by the ablation, for example between theperiphery of the region to be ablated and its center, can be taken intoaccount, which leads to higher precision of the ablation.

The water content can preferably be taken into consideration whengenerating the ablation program to be used for ablation, by using amodel which represents the dependence of the ablation depth which isachieved by at least one pulse emitted onto a target location at thesurface, or of the ablation volume which is achieved by the at least onepulse emitted onto a target location at the surface, on the watercontent of the material to be ablated by the pulse. In particular, themodel may be given by a function which depends on a parameter thatdepends on or represents the water content, said function at leastapproximately indicating the ablation depth for a pulse of the pulsedlaser beam with predetermined pulse properties, e.g. a given pulseenergy or fluence. Such models can be obtained by theoreticalconsiderations or from experimental studies of the ablation depth or ofthe ablation volume in case of ablation by a single pulse, as a functionof at least the water content and the subsequent representation of theresults by suitable functions. In particular, in a method step or in acomputer program by means of which the generating method is carried out,the model may be taken into consideration in such a way that formulaederived from the model are evaluated with parameters of the model duringexecution of the program.

The model preferably contains as a parameter an ablation rate whichdepends on the water content. This advantageously allows considerationof the fact that the water content influences the ablation depth.

Typically, not every laser pulse results in ablation. Therefore, themethod preferably comprises determining a threshold fluence value forthe ablation of material from the surface of the body and determiningthe threshold value as a function of the water content. This approachhas the advantage that an effect of the water contained in the materialon the actual occurrence of an ablation can be taken into considerationin a simple and controlled manner.

Indications as to the water content in the material may enter into themethod in different ways. In principle, this merely requires the use ofcorresponding data. Thus, a fixed further model of the water content canbe used for a predetermined type of material, for which purpose the dataprocessing device of the generating device may comprise a correspondingprogram module stored in a memory in the generating device, in whichmodule the further model, including corresponding parameter values, isencoded in a fixed manner. As an alternative, a parameter value may alsobe permanently stored in a parameter file.

Pulses already emitted onto a region of the body can influence the watercontent of said region or of adjacent regions. Therefore, the generatingmethod preferably uses a further model indicating, for a predeterminedregion of the material, the influence that pulses of the pulsed laserbeam which have impinged on this region or on adjacent regions have onthe water content. The model needs to define the influence onlyapproximately. In particular, the model may indicate the influence inthat it depends on the desired ablation depth in said region, whichdepth is a very good approximation of the number of pulses to be emittedonto said region, where appropriate, in a non-linear manner. A regionmay be particularly understood to be a column of material which columnis substantially orthogonal to the surface and is successively ablatedby impinging pulses, with the water content in the remaining part of thecolumn changing due to ablation. This approach has the advantage that ameasurement of the water content during ablation is not absolutelynecessary. The ablation program considers this effect already when theablation program is being generated. The model of the ablation depth orof the ablation volume and the further model are preferably selectedsuch that, as the desired ablation depth or the number of pulses to beemitted onto the same region increases, the ablation effect of a pulseincreases, i.e. the ablation depth or the ablation volume generated by apulse increases. This particularly allows to reduce the problems ofcorrecting near-sightedness or far-sightedness by conventional ablationmethods, wherein the ablation actually achieved in regions of a smalldesired ablation depth ends up being too small as compared to thedesired ablation depth.

However, if variations in the water content of the otherwisesubstantially identical material may occur in different bodies and/or ifit should be possible to generate ablation programs for ablation ofdifferent materials, the generating method preferably acquires datawhich describe the water content, in particular spatially resolved onthe surface or in the region to be ablated, or from which the watercontent, in particular spatially resolved on the surface or in theregion to be ablated, can be determined. The generating device thenpreferably comprises an interface for acquisition of data which describethe water content of the material or from which the water content can bedetermined. The data processing device is preferably provided todetermine the water content from the data from which the water contentof the material can be determined. If the water content is assumed to beconstant in the region to be ablated, it may suffice to read in only onecorresponding value via the interface. If the water content is takeninto consideration in a spatially resolved manner, corresponding data inthe form of a field of values indicating the water content may be givenfor a parameter at predetermined locations of support in the volume tobe ablated or on a reference surface intended to describe the volume. Asan alternative, it is possible to describe the water content by aparametrized, position-dependent function in providing the parametervalues of said function.

The details of the water content may be determined in different ways.Thus, according to one embodiment, the water content is preferablydetermined by empirical studies of various samples of the material.Particularly in the case of biological material, surveys can be carriedout on material or tissue of the same type, but from differentindividuals of a species, wherein an average water content is determinedwhich then enters into the generation of the ablation program. In thiscase, it may be assumed, in particular, that the water content isapproximately constant over the entire region to be treated. Thisapproach has the advantage that it does not require individual dataconcerning the respective body to be treated and that it is thus easilyand quickly applicable. In particular, corresponding values can bepermanently stored in the data processing device, although input via aninterface as mentioned above is also possible.

During ablation, the water content of the material may change due to theablation. Therefore, the generating method preferably uses a model forthe water content or the change in the water content of the material asa function of at least the number and/or the position of pulsespreviously emitted onto the same location and/or adjacent locations inorder to take the water content into consideration when generating theablation program. Thus, the change in water content during the ablationmay be advantageously considered without requiring a measurement of thewater content during ablation. Values of parameters which may optionallyappear in the model can be determined, for example, empirically asabove.

In order to obtain high precision of the ablation, i.e. a smalldeviation between the desired ablation profile and the actual ablationprofile achieved by ablation according to the generated ablation programto be used, it is preferred, however, that the generating methoddetermine the water content from data measured at the body. This has theadvantage that no assumptions concerning the water content have to beused. The water content need not be explicitly calculated; rather, itmay suffice to determine a quantity which unambiguously determines thewater content, which quantity is then inserted into a formula in whichthe dependence on the water content itself is replaced by the dependenceon said quantity. The data processing device of the generating device ispreferably adapted to determine the water content from the data measuredon the body. For this purpose, a computer program running in the dataprocessing device may contain suitable program code. The measurement ofthe data may be effected prior to generating the ablation program and,in particular, prior to ablation or during generation of the ablationprogram and formation of the control signals.

In particular, the data may be read in, for example, via a suitableinterface as mentioned above, from a data carrier, a user interface, ora measuring device. The data are preferably measured at the bodyautomatically. For this purpose, the generating device may comprise acontrol interface for a measuring device measuring data at the body,which data indicate the water content or from which the water contentcan be determined, said control interface allowing the output of controlcommands to the measuring device for acquiring measured data. Thisallows the total processing time to be substantially reduced.

As data measured at the body, use is preferably made of data allowingthe water content in the material at the surface or in a region to beablated to be determined in a spatially resolved manner. If the data aremeasured automatically, said measurement is thus preferably effected ina spatially resolved manner in the material at the surface or in aregion to be ablated. In this manner, the water content can beadvantageously taken into consideration in a position-dependent manner,which leads to enhanced precision of ablation.

The data may be acquired prior to the actual ablation. However, in aparticularly preferred embodiment of the invention, suitable data arealso acquired while forming control signals according to a first part ofthe ablation program or during ablation, thus enabling very precisecontrol of ablation.

The water content can be determined in different ways. In particular,one of the possibilities mentioned below or a combination of thesepossibilities can be used. According to a first alternative of thegenerating method, the determination of the water content uses datawhich indicate the temperature of the surface. For this purpose, thegenerating device may preferably comprise a device for detecting atemperature of the surface, said device being connected to the dataprocessing device via a data link in order to transmit acquiredtemperature data to the data processing device, and wherein the dataprocessing device is adapted to determine the water content of thematerial as a function of the temperature data. This embodiment has theadvantage that a temperature measurement can be simply carried out in aspatially resolved, non-contacting manner, too, by using suitableinfrared cameras as measuring device, for example.

As a further possibility, in determining the water content data arepreferably used which indicate properties of optical radiation emittedby the material in the body's region to be ablated. The correspondingdata are preferably acquired automatically. For this purpose, thegenerating device may comprise a spectrometer, which is preferablyconnected to the data processing device via a data link, for analysis ofradiation emitted by the body's region to be ablated. The dataprocessing device may then be adapted to determine the water content asa function of the data acquired by the spectrometer. For this purpose, acomputer program stored in the data processing device may containprogram code for determining the water content as a function of the dataacquired by the spectrometer. This alternative has the advantage that,on the one hand, a non-contacting acquisition of the data and, on theother hand, precise detection of the water content is possible.Moreover, it is also possible to detect the radiation in a spatiallyresolved manner, thus enabling a position-dependent determination of thewater content. In a laser ablation device comprising a laser, whichemits the laser beam, and a generating device, the viewing direction ordirection of detection of the spectrometer is preferably inclined withrespect to the laser beam at the surface of the body. This enables easyintegration of the spectrometer into the laser ablation device.

Particularly preferably the determination of the water content uses datawhich are obtainable by confocal Raman spectroscopy of optical radiationfrom the surface. For this purpose, the generating device preferablycomprises a device for carrying out confocal Raman spectroscopy, whichdevice is connected to the data processing device via a data link so asto transmit acquired spectroscopic data to the data processing device,which data processing device is preferably adapted to determine thewater content of the material as a function of the spectroscopic data.This method allows particularly good specificity of the measurement forwater.

As a further possibility, the determination of the water content may usedata which indicate the properties of fluorescent radiation emitted bythe body's region to be ablated. For this purpose, the generating devicemay preferably comprise a device for detection of fluorescent radiation,which device is connected to the data processing device via a data linkfor transmission of detected fluorescent-radiation data, said radiationbeing emitted by material at the surface of the body upon irradiation ofthe body's surface to be ablated, and wherein the data processing deviceis preferably adapted to determine the water content of the material asa function of the fluorescent-radiation data. The fluorescent radiationmay be either excited by irradiating the body's region to be examinedwith a radiation source not used for ablation or, if possible, byirradiation with laser radiation from the laser used for ablation. Thisalternative is characterized in that the instrumental requirements forcarrying out the measurement can be kept relatively low.

A still further possibility consists in that the determination of thewater content uses data which indicate the refractive index in thematerial. The generating device may preferably comprise an opticalcoherence tomograph for determining the refractive index of thematerial, said tomograph being connected to the data processing devicevia a data link in order to transmit measured data. This takes advantageof the fact that the refractive index of the material may depend on thewater content. An advantage of this variant may be that the opticalcoherence tomograph can also be used for measurements of topograhy atthe surface of the body. The coherence tomograph may further be used todetermine the thickness of the cornea before and/or during ablation,i.e. to effect a pachymetric measurement. In particular, this allows toprevent the residual thickness of the cornea being below a predeterminedminimum value.

The water content may be considered in different ways. Thus, forexample, known generating methods may be modified in ways allowing touse models for ablation which take the water content into account.However, this may require a new design of these methods.

Therefore, according to a further possibility, in order to generate theablation program to be used, it is preferred to generate from thepredetermined desired ablation profile an ablation profile which ispre-compensated as a function of the water content in order to take intoaccount the water content and to generate the ablation program from thepre-compensated ablation profile. The desired ablation profile ispreferably modified such that the ablation according to the ablationprogram generated on the basis of the modified desired ablation profileyields the desired ablation profile to be achieved at leastapproximately. It is possible, in particular, to use a simple generatingmethod in order to generate the ablation program from the modified orpre-compensated desired ablation profile. In connection with the secondaspect of the present invention, a simple generating method isunderstood to be a generating method which does not take the watercontent of the material into consideration when generating the ablationprogram. The errors which occur when using a simple generating method inorder to generate an ablation program not considering the water contentcan be compensated for by a corresponding modification of the desiredablation profile, i.e. of the input data for generating the ablationprogram, such that a simple generating method can be used then. In thisconnection, the type and extent of the pre-compensation or modificationmay depend on the properties of the simple generating method used or onthe model-related assumptions providing the basis for said method. Thus,said modification alters the desired ablation profile by way of apre-correction or pre-compensation such that deviations between thedesired ablation depth and the actual ablation depth which may resultfrom not considering the water content of the material when generatingan ablation program by a simple predetermined generating method, whichdoes not consider the water content, can be pre-compensated for bychanging the predetermined desired ablation profile in the oppositedirection or magnitude. This embodiment has the advantage that simplegenerating methods may be employed to generate the ablation program tobe used, allowing the use of methods already validated. Examples of suchsimple generating methods are described in DE 19727573 C1 or EP 1060710A2, the respective contents of which are hereby incorporated in thisdescription by reference.

For this purpose, a modification function is preferably used in order todetermine the pre-compensated ablation profile, said function dependingexplicitly or implicitly on the water content of the material to beablated. In particular, for at least two surface regions to be ablatedone respective value of a modification function can be determined as afunction of at least the water content of the material at the surface inthe respective region, and the modified or pre-compensated desiredablation profile can be determined using the desired ablation profileand the values of the modification function. The ablation program maythus be generated, in particular, by a simple generating method. Thevalues of the modification function are preferably calculated for eachpulse or for each surface location onto which a pulse is to be directed.For each region or for each target location, the values can becalculated anew. However, it is also possible to calculate the valuesonly once and then store them in a table, for example as a function ofthe water content or a quantity depending on the latter, from whichtable they can then be respectively read out if required. This approachallows the pre-compensated desired ablation profile to be determined ina particularly simple manner. In this case, the modification functionmay depend explicitly on the water content of the material at the targetlocation or implicitly via at least one further parameter of themodification function.

The modification function may be determined or derived particularlyusing the aforementioned model for the ablation depth achieved by asingle pulse as a function of the water content or by the ablationvolume achieved by a single pulse as a function of the water contentand, where appropriate, the further model for modifying the watercontent by ablation, and may thus include said model to that extent.

Preferably, the modification function depends on the intensity, theenergy or the fluence of the pulses used for ablation. The modificationfunction may also depend on a threshold value for the energy oreffective fluence, said value indicating the energy or effective fluenceat which an ablation of the material begins to occur and preferablydepending on the water content in the material. In particular, themodification function may depend on the dimension-less ratio of thefluence and the threshold fluence value.

During ablation, the water content of the material may change due to thepulses having already impinged on the body. Since it may be required,under certain circumstances, to emit several pulses onto one targetlocation in order to achieve a desired ablation depth, it is preferredaccording to the generating method that the value of the modificationfunction at a respectively given location depends on a desired ablationdepth at said location given by the desired ablation profile. This hasthe advantage that the dependence on the water content of the materialcan be easily taken into consideration even for great ablation depthssimply before the actual ablation. The modification function may dependon at least one further parameter which itself depends, in particular,on the water content present in the material or on the modification ofthe water content by the impingement of a pulse.

It may further prove to be favorable to generate a preliminary ablationprogram from the desired ablation profile and, in order to establish theablation program to be generated as a function of the water content, atleast a fluence value implicitly or explicitly given by the preliminaryablation program, or a pulse energy of a pulse to be emitted onto thetarget location given by the ablation program, which energy isimplicitly or explicitly given by the preliminary ablation program, ismodified as a function of the water content at the target location andis assigned to the target location as an indication. The preliminaryablation program may be generated by any generating method; inparticular, a simple generating method may be used which generates thepreliminary ablation program from the predetermined desired ablationprofile without taking the water content of the material intoconsideration. However, it is also possible to generate a preliminaryablation program, for example by taking the water content intoconsideration only in an approximate or simplified manner, and tosubsequently correct said program by changing the pulse energy or thefluence value, respectively. Therefore, when determining the change inthe fluence value or pulse energy, consideration can be given, inparticular, to the fact which assumptions or models were used togenerate the preliminary ablation program.

The change in the fluence value may be determined or derived, inparticular, by using the aforementioned model for the ablation depthachieved by a single pulse as a function of the water content or for theablation volume achieved by a single pulse as a function of the watercontent and may contain said model to that extent.

The energy or fluence setting of a pulse may be effected in at leastthree ways which may be applied alternatively or in combination. In afirst variant, the laser beam is attenuated in order to set the energyor fluence of a pulse. For this purpose, a control signal is preferablyformed, said signal allowing to control the transmission of a modulatorwhich attenuates a laser beam used for ablation. To this end, thecontrol unit is preferably adapted to form and emit control signals forcontrol, according to a generated ablation program, of a modulatorattenuating the laser beam. In addition to the control unit, the laserablation device preferably comprises a modulator which is connected tothe control unit and attenuates the laser beam due to control signalsfrom the control unit. Any means allowing to reduce the intensity of thelaser beam emitted by the laser may serve as the modulator. For example,Pockel's cells, glass disks rotatable under the control of a drive unitand comprising radial sectors of different transmittance, orliquid-crystal elements with controllable transmittance can be used. Forexample, the modulator may have a polarization-dependent effect or awavelength-dependent effect. The use of modulators allows easy settingof the pulse energy in any type of laser.

In the second variant, the laser used to emit the pulsed laser beam maybe controlled so as to set the energy or fluence of a pulse. For thispurpose, control signals controlling the laser of the laser ablationdevice can be formed, by means of which signals the fluence or the pulseenergy of pulses emitted by the laser is controlled. The control unitmay be accordingly adapted to form and emit control signals to controlthe laser according to a generated ablation program. The laser in thelaser ablation device is then preferably controllable by means of thecontrol unit. When excimer lasers are used, the control unit cancontrol, in particular, the high voltage for charging a capacitor or amultiplicity of capacitors in order to store energy for generating alaser pulse. Controlling the pulse energy or fluence of the laser hasthe advantage that less energy is needed.

As a third variant, the beam cross-section of the laser beam on thesurface may be changed in order to set the fluence of a pulse. For thispurpose, control signals controlling a beam-shaping optical device canbe formed in the beam path of the laser beam according to a generatedablation program, said optical device serving to set the beamcross-section, and said control signals can be emitted to thebeam-shaping optical device. The control unit may be providedaccordingly to form and emit control signals for controlling abeam-shaping optical device in the beam path of the laser beam accordingto a generated ablation program, said optical device serving to set thebeam cross-section. For this purpose, a laser ablation device maycomprise a corresponding beam-shaping optical device, which is arrangedin the beam path of the laser beam and is controlled by the control unitto change the beam cross-section.

An ablation program, in particular an ablation program wherein thefluence or energy of the pulses used is changed, can be generated priorto the actual ablation. However, it is preferred, in the method forgenerating control signals, that after a first part of the ablationprogram has been generated and corresponding control signals have beenemitted, at least one further part of the ablation program that has tobe executed is generated and corresponding control signals are emitted.This makes it advantageously possible to begin ablation already whilethe program is still being generated so as to shorten the time betweenproviding the desired ablation profile and ending ablation.

Moreover, it enables a particularly preferred embodiment of the methodfor generating and emitting control signals, in which a preliminaryablation program is generated on the basis of the desired ablationprofile and the water content is determined in order to generate the atleast one further part of the ablation program for at least one targetlocation on the surface given by the preliminary ablation program, andthe preliminary ablation program is changed by generating the ablationprogram as a function of the determined water content. This has theadvantage that a change in water content during ablation, such changebeing the result of environmental influences or of a previous ablationat the same location or at an adjacent location, for example, can beallowed for during ablation. In particular, the preliminary ablationprogram may already have been generated taking into consideration, forexample, a water content which corresponds to a statistical mean value,wherein individual variations in water content are taken intoconsideration during ablation. The preliminary ablation program ispreferably converted to the ablation program to be executed or to beused, respectively, by changing the fluence or the pulse energy ofpulses to be emitted, said change depending at least explicitly orimplicitly on the water content.

It is preferred, particularly in the last-mentioned embodiment, toacquire data by measurements on the body during emission of controlsignals, which data indicate the water content of the material or fromwhich the water content of the material can be determined. For thispurpose, the generating device may automatically control the datameasurement device via a control interface.

When generating the ablation program, still further influences can betaken into consideration, which are not taken into account, inparticular, by known generating methods, such as those described in DE19727573 C1 or EP 1060710 A2. Thus, it is preferred that the ablationprogram be generated also as a function of the humidity of the air atthe surface and/or the thickness of a liquid film on the surface. Thisfurther embodiment has the advantage that it also takes intoconsideration influences having an indirect influence on the watercontent in the material. Moreover, the thickness of the liquid film onthe surface can influence the ablation efficiency, if the liquid filmhas to be evaporated first by the pulses prior to ablation of material.Both the humidity and the thickness of the liquid film may be measuredpreferably during ablation and may be taken into consideration whengenerating the ablation program. For this purpose, the generating devicepreferably comprises an interface for input of data that indicate thehumidity or the thickness of the liquid film, and particularlypreferably comprises a device for measuring the data indicating thehumidity or the thickness of the liquid film. This advantageously allowsa particularly compact design and automatic measurement.

It is further preferred for the ablation program to be generated also asa function of a shape of a beam profile of the laser beam and/or of aninclination of the surface. The inclination of the surface is preferablygiven at least approximately with respect to the laser beam. If thelaser beam is swiveled around small angles only, e.g. less than 5°, acentral or middle position of the laser beam can be selected, forexample, as the reference direction relative to which the inclination isdetermined. This further embodiment is based on the concept, amongothers, that the energy per area actually effective for ablation, i.e.the actually effective fluence, of a pulse of the pulsed laser beamimpinging on the surface of the body depends not only on the surface'sinclination relative to the direction of the laser beam on the surface,but also on the beam profile of the laser beam, in particular on thesurface of the body. The beam profile is understood to be the course ofthe intensity or of the area-related energy or fluence of the pulse overthe beam cross-section near the surface. The shape of the beam profiledoes not include any absolute values of intensity or energy or of thefluence relating to a cross-sectional area which is perpendicular to thelaser beam, but merely includes the course of these quantities.Therefore, the method is suitable, in particular, for ablation withlaser beams having a non-constant beam profile. This variant of themethod has the advantage that even very arcuate surfaces can be ablatedwith high precision by means a laser beam which, in particular, need nothave a constant beam profile. The surface data required to generate theablation program and from which the inclination can be directlydetermined, allow to directly define the surface inclination as afunction of the location, the gradients of the surface's levels above apredetermined reference plane in which the locations are indicated, oreven the levels of the surface above the reference plane as a functionof the location, particularly allowing to use also the means ofrepresentation mentioned with respect to the desired ablation profile.If these data do not explicitly contain the inclination, e.g. given bycorresponding angles, this information can be simply determined bygradient formation and/or using trigonometric relationships.

Depending on the application, the desired ablation profile and/or thedata relating to the surface inclination can be stored in the dataprocessing device, which is particularly convenient if several identicalbodies are to be ablated one after the other. Although the surface datamay change with respect to the inclination of the surface, thegenerating device according to the invention may still comprise aninterface for detecting surface data which directly or indirectlyrepresent the inclination of the surface. The interface may be providedin the same manner as the interface for detecting the desired ablationprofile. The surface data are preferably acquired automatically forwhich purpose the data processing device may comprise a correspondingcontrol interface emitting control commands to a device for acquiringsurface data.

As the device for acquiring surface data, the generating device mayparticularly comprise a topographical measurement system detecting thetopography of the surface and/or an aberrometer detecting opticalproperties of the body. This design has the advantage that, because thetopographical system is provided in the device, simple and precisedetection of the surface topography of the surface to be ablated becomespossible without an additional alignment of the coordinate systems inwhich the inclinations or the surface topography data and the desiredablation profile as well as, where appropriate, the water content dataare defined.

Taking into consideration the inclination of the surface and/or theshape of the beam profile may be achieved, in particular, by determininga pre-compensated desired ablation profile in order to take the shape ofthe beam profile and/or the inclination of the surface intoconsideration on the basis of the desired ablation profile using amodification function which depends on the shape of the beam profileand/or the inclination of the surface, and generating the ablationprogram on the basis of the determined desired ablation profile, whichhas been pre-compensated with respect to the influences of the beamprofile shape and/or the surface inclination. In order to generate theablation program on the basis of the desired ablation profile which hasbeen pre-compensated with respect to influences of the beam profileshape and/or of the surface inclination, generating methods may be usedagain which do not take a dependency on the beam profile shape and/or onthe surface inclination into account. In this way, a compensation oferrors by way of a pre-correction or pre-compensation can beadvantageously effected, wherein the desired ablation profile ismodified such that errors occurring due to the use of a generatingmethod which does not consider a dependence on the beam profile shapeand/or on the surface inclination are suppressed during ablationaccording to the ablation program at least with good approximation. Themodification function preferably contains the influences of both thewater content and the surface inclination and the shape of the beamprofile. This advantageously allows the generation of the ablationprofile to be simplified.

Particularly preferably, the method involves determining for at leasttwo surface regions to be ablated one respective value of the beam-and/or inclination-dependent modification function as a function of atleast the beam profile shape and/or the surface inclination in therespective region and determining a value of the water content-dependentmodification function, as well as determining the pre-compensateddesired ablation profile by the use of the desired ablation profile andof the values of the modification functions, in particular the productof the modification functions. In particular, the uncompensated desiredablation profile for determining the pre-compensated ablation profilecan be multiplied, for respectively given target locations, with theproduct of the modification functions for said locations. Suchpre-compensation can be carried out in a particularly easy and fastmanner.

A computer program containing program code to carry out the generatingmethod of the invention, in particular the second such method, issuitable to generate the ablation program when the program is beingexecuted on a computer.

Moreover, the invention provides a computer product comprising programcode stored on a computer-readable data carrier in order to carry outthe generating method of the invention, in particular the second suchmethod, when the computer program product is being executed on acomputer. A data carrier is understood herein to be any data carrier, inparticular a magnetic data carrier, e.g. a diskette or hard disk, amagneto-optical data carrier, an optical data carrier, such as a CD, DVDor Blue Ray Disc, for example, or any other non-volatile memory, such asa so-called Flash-ROM, for example.

A computer is understood here to be any data processing device, inparticular a data processing device of the second generating device, bywhich the method can be carried out when the program is being executedthereon. In particular, said device may comprise a digital signalprocessor and/or a programmable microprocessor by which the method iscarried out completely or in part. The processor may be connected to astorage device in which the computer program and/or data for executionof the computer program is/are stored.

The concepts according to the second aspect of the invention may beadvantageously employed for ablation of a desired ablation profile frombiological material, in particular the cornea, for laser surgicaltreatment of a visual defect in the human eye, e.g. by means of PRK,LASIK or LASEK.

On the whole, the invention may advantageously be employed also forablation of a desired ablation profile from work-pieces, in particularspectacle lenses, contact lenses and lens implants, and preferably forlaser surgical treatment of a visual defect in the human eye.

The invention will be explained in more detail below, by way of exampleand with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a patient during treatmentwith a laser surgical instrument comprising an ablation device of apreferred embodiment according to a first aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the ablation device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a spherical body to beprocessed;

FIG. 4 shows a flow scheme of a method for generating an ablationprogram for the instrument of FIG. 2 according to a first preferredembodiment of the first aspect of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a representation of a modification function depending onthe location in the rotation-symmetrical beam profile of a laser beamfor three different generating methods;

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an ablation device according to a secondpreferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention for a lasersurgical instrument;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a device for detecting ashape of a beam profile of a laser beam emitted by the laser of theablation device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a flow scheme of a method for generating an ablationprogram according to a third preferred embodiment of the first aspect ofthe invention;

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a laser surgical instrument comprisingan ablation device which includes a device for generating an ablationprogram according to a further preferred embodiment of the first aspectof the invention;

FIG. 10 shows a flow scheme of a method for generating an ablationprogram according to a further preferred embodiment of the first aspectof the invention;

FIGS. 11 a and b show diagrams for comparison of ablation depthsachieved by ablation using the method according to FIG. 10 and using aknown method, and

FIG. 12 shows a diagram in which a ratio of a fluence and a thresholdvalue for said fluence is shown as a function of the radius in the laserbeam for a Gaussian beam profile and a truncated Gaussian beam profile;

FIG. 13 shows a schematic block diagram of the laser ablation devicecomprising a signal-generating device according to a first preferredembodiment of a second aspect of the invention;

FIG. 14 shows a schematic representation of a sectional view of adesired ablation profile taken along a diameter through the body in FIG.3 and of single pulse ablation volumes;

FIG. 15 shows a flow scheme of a method for forming control signalsaccording to a first ablation program generated by said method for theinstrument in FIG. 13 according to a first preferred embodiment of thesecond aspect of the invention;

FIG. 16 shows a flow scheme of a method for forming and emitting controlsignals according to an ablation program generated by said methodaccording to a further preferred embodiment of the second aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 17 shows a flow scheme comprising partial steps of step S128according to the flow scheme of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 shows a block diagram of an ablation device comprising asignal-forming device according to a third preferred embodiment of thesecond aspect of the invention for a laser surgical instrument;

FIG. 19 shows a block diagram of an ablation device and a signal-formingdevice according to a further preferred embodiment of the second aspectof the invention, and

FIG. 20 shows a flow scheme of a method for forming and emitting controlsignals according to an ablation program generated by said methodaccording to the further preferred embodiment of the second aspect ofthe invention in the second variant.

FIG. 1 shows a laser surgical instrument 1 for treatment of a patient'seye 2, which instrument serves to carry out a refractive correction ofthe eye. For this purpose, the instrument 1 emits a pulsed laser beam 3onto the eye 1 of the patient whose head is fixed by a head support 4that is securely connected to the instrument 1.

FIG. 2 shows more detail of the structure of the instrument which is anablation device according to the first preferred embodiment of theinvention's first aspect. The instrument comprises a data processingdevice 5 with an integrated control unit 6, a laser 7 controlled by thecontrol unit 6 and a deflecting device 8, which is also controlled bythe control unit and by means of which the pulsed laser beam 3 emittedby the laser 7 can be directed and focused on target locations on thecornea of the eye 2 according to a given ablation program.

The instrument further comprises a device 9 for acquiring topographicaldata of the surface of a region to be treated in the eye 2 and a device10 for determining a desired ablation profile. Both devices are coupledto the data processing device 5. The data processing device 5, thecontrol unit 6, the device 9 for acquiring the surface topography andthe device 10 for determining the desired ablation profile constitute adevice for generating an ablation program according to a first preferredembodiment of the invention's first aspect.

The data processing device 5 with integrated control unit 6 serves togenerate an ablation program by the use of data representing the surfacetopography of the region to be treated, data relating to the propertiesof the laser beam 3 and data relating to the desired ablation profile tobe ablated. For this purpose, the data processing device 5 comprises aprocessor and a memory for storing data, in which, in particular, also acomputer program including program code is stored, by means of which theablation program is generated, when executing the program on theprocessor, and the actual ablation is effected using the integratedcontrol unit 6. The memory and the processor are partially illustratedin the block diagram by the block “generate ablation program”.

To this end, the data processing device 5 possesses interfaces for datainput, namely an interface 11 for manual input of the surfacetopography, an interface 11′ reading in surface topography data from thedevice for acquiring surface topography data, and an input interface 11″for input of coordinates of a reference point of the coordinate systemin which the surface topography data are indicated, which coordinates,in the present example, are the coordinates of the coordinate system'sorigin, an interface 12 for manual input of the desired ablationprofile, an interface 12′ for reading in data with respect to thedesired ablation profile from the device 10 for determining the desiredablation profile, and an interface 12″ for input of the coordinates of areference point of the coordinate system in which the desired ablationprofile is given, which coordinates, in the present example, are thoseof the coordinate system's origin. Moreover, an interface 13 for manualinput of beam parameters and an interface 13′ for reading in datarelating to the beam parameter of the laser beam 3 from a data sourceare provided. At least one of the beam parameters can serve to describethe shape of the beam profile.

The interfaces for manual input and in particular also the interfacesfor input of the coordinates of reference points may be one singleinterface in physical terms, said interface having connected to it, in amanner not shown in the Figures, a keyboard and a screen on which aninput prompt can be displayed when corresponding data are to be read in.The interfaces further comprise corresponding modules of the computerprogram for reading in data from the keyboard.

The other interfaces 11′, 12′ and 13′ are conventional interfaces fordata flows which, in addition to corresponding electronic modules, alsocomprise software modules.

The control unit 6 is integrated into the data processing device 5 andfurther comprises interfaces, not shown in the Figures, for control ofthe laser 7 and of the deflecting device 8. Such control units areknown, in principle, and therefore need not be explained in more detail.

The laser 7 is connected to the control unit 6 and emits a pulsed laserbeam with predetermined pulse energies as a function of the ablationprogram. For example, an excimer laser having a wavelength in thewavelength range of 193 nm can be used. The laser beam 3 emitted by thelaser 7 has a beam profile which is shown in broken lines in FIG. 12 andhas a Gaussian shape.

The deflecting device 8 is also connected to the control unit 6 via adata link and, in accordance with control signals from the control unit6, directs the pulsed laser beam 3 emitted by the laser 7 ontopredetermined target locations on the surface of the eye 2 according tothe ablation program to be executed. For this purpose, the deflectingdevice 8 comprises a focusing device 14 for focusing the laser beamalong its direction of propagation and for deflection transverse to thelaser beam via two mirrors 15, which are rotatable or tiltable about twomutually orthogonal axes and are arranged in the beam path following thefocusing device 14.

Both the laser 7 and the deflecting device 8 may be conventional, knowndevices of a laser surgical instrument.

The surface topography is represented using two mutually parallelCartesian coordinate systems whose x-y planes coincide. If possible, thez axis is aligned parallel to the optical axis of the eye with goodapproximation. This is shown in FIG. 3 for a spherical body or a spherewith a surface 2′ as a simplified model of the eye 2, in which, for thesake of clarity, the z axis representing the desired ablation profile isnot shown. The z axes are defined during alignment of the eye 2 relativeto the instrument 1.

In the example, the device 9 for acquiring surface topography datacomprises an optical coherence tomograph which is arranged in theinstrument 1 so as to allow acquisition of the surface topography of theeye 2 in the region to be treated. The optical coherence tomographacquires surface topography data in the form of heights in the directionof z at grid points in the x-y plane, which is fixed with respect to theinstrument 1 and approximately orthogonal to the laser beam 3. The dataare read into the data processing device 5 via the interface 11′.

In the present example, the device 10 for determining the desiredablation profile comprises a wavefront analyzer of the Hartmann-Shacktype as well as, where appropriate, devices for determining therefractive power of the eye 2, by which analyzer or devices,respectively, a desired ablation profile D_(Soll) for the region to betreated in the eye 2 can be determined according to known methods. Indoing so, the desired ablation profile is determined such thatcorrection of imaging errors in the eye 2 can be achieved as far aspossible by the ablation to be carried out. An example of the desiredablation profile is evident from FIG. 3. It is given by the distances,in the direction of z, between the initial surface, the calotte 2′, anda desired surface 2″ indicated by a broken line, as a function of thelocation in the x-y plane.

In order to determine the desired ablation profile, the device 10 maycomprise a suitable processor which evaluates data relating to therefractive power of the eye 2 and the wavefront data in order todetermine the desired ablation profile again, in the present example, inthe form of the desired ablation depths for points of a point grid inthe x-y plane of the corresponding coordinate system which coincideswith the x-y plane of the coordinate system for indicating the ablationprofile. As far as the coordinate origins are not identical, theposition of one of the reference points or coordinate origins in therespective other coordinate system can be given so that the data can betransformed by simple shifting into an identical coordinate systemduring a later process stage. This may turn out to be favorable if thecenter of the desired ablation profile, i.e. a point relative to whichthe desired ablation profile is approximately symmetrical, deviates fromthe center of the surface of the eye 2, i.e. from a point relative towhich the surface of the eye is approximately symmetrical. Such a methodfor generating a desired ablation profile is described, for example, inWO 01/08075 A1, the respective contents of which are hereby incorporatedin the description by reference.

The method for generating an ablation program according to the firstexemplary embodiment is based on the following considerations.

In order to ablate the desired ablation profile D_(Soll) from the eye 2,laser pulses having a predetermined pulse energy are emitted ontopredetermined target locations according to a generated ablationprogram, each of said laser pulses individually leading to a removal ofmaterial. The depth of removal can be described by various models. Inthe present example, the so-called “blow-off” model is used, asdescribed, for example, in “Refraktive Chirurgie der Hornhaut”, TheoSeiler (Ed.), 1st edition, ENKE Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart/N.Y.,2000 (ISBN 3-13-118071-4), Chapter 6.1, p. 150, or in R. Srinivasan:“Ablation of Polymers and Biological Tissue by Ultraviolet Lasers”,Science vol. 234, p. 559-565, 31 Oct. 1986. Following this, material isremoved to a depth D_(1st) at a location having the coordinates (x, y),by laser radiation impinging at this location and having an effectivefluence F(x, y), i.e. energy per surface area, according to thefollowing formula:${D_{lst}\left( {x,y} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{{\mu \cdot \ln}\frac{F\left( {x,y} \right)}{F_{thr}}},} & {{{if}\quad{F\left( {x,y} \right)}} > F_{thr}} \\{0,} & {{ot{herwise}}.}\end{matrix} \right.$

In this formula, μ designates a material-dependent ablation coefficientand F_(thr) relates to a likewise material-dependent ablation thresholdfluence value, below which value laser radiation no longer results inmaterial removal from the eye 2.

In the simple generating method for an ablation program used below, itis assumed that the desired ablation profile can be split intosingle-pulse ablation volumes which each form upon impingement of onepulse. In this case, generating the ablation program includesdetermining the target locations (x, y) onto which the pulses of apredetermined pulse energy have to be directed.

In generating an ablation program, it is assumed that a laser pulseremoves a single-pulse ablation volume or spot ablation volume V_(pulse)which is obtained as an integral of the ablation depth D_(1st) over theentire pulse area:$V_{pulse} = {{\underset{Spot}{\int\int}{D_{lst}\left( {x,y} \right)}{\mathbb{d}x}{\mathbb{d}y}} = {\mu\underset{Spot}{\int\int}\ln\frac{F\left( {x,y} \right)}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}x}{{\mathbb{d}y}.}}}$

The integral extends over the area designated as “Spot”, in whichD_(1st)>0 holds.

Whereas conventional methods assume the effective fluence F(x, y) to beconstant over the area of the pulse or of the spot, respectively, theinvention takes two influences into consideration at the same time. Onthe one hand, it is considered that the inclination of the surface to beprocessed reduces the effective fluence according to said inclinationrelative to the fluence of the laser beam 3. If the surface to beprocessed is described by a height function f(x, y), which indicates thelevel of the surface above the x-y plane, the angle of inclination θ ofthe surface can be determined relative to the z axis and, thus, inapproximation to the laser beam 3 incident on the surface 2′, accordingto the formulaθ(x,y)=arctan(|grad f(x,y)|)

Thus, the fluence F(x, y) effective during ablation on the surface isobtained asF(x,y)=F _(P)(x,y)·cos θ(x,y)wherein F_(P)(x,y) designates the fluence for vertical incidence of thelaser beam 3 on the surface, i.e. at an angle θ=0. Therefore, F_(P)corresponds to the fluence or the beam profile of the laser beam 3.

The second effect taken into consideration is that the effective fluencevaries in accordance with the intensity or energy profile of the pulsesin a plane orthogonal to the direction of the laser beam 3 and that itmay thereby, in particular, also be below the threshold value F_(thr).

Thus, the actual single-pulse ablation volume results from the followingformula: $\begin{matrix}{V_{pulse} = {\underset{Spot}{\int\int}{D_{lst}\left( {x,y} \right)}{\mathbb{d}x}{\mathbb{d}y}}} \\{= {\mu\underset{Spot}{\int\int}\ln\frac{F\left( {x,y} \right)}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}x}{\mathbb{d}y}}} \\{= {\underset{Spot}{\int\int}\ln\frac{{F_{P}\left( {x,y} \right)}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {x,y} \right)}}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}x}{{\mathbb{d}y}.}}}\end{matrix}$

Therefore, the single-pulse ablation volume non-linearly depends on theangle of inclination of the surface and on the fluence profileF_(P)(x,y).

In the case of known single-pulse ablation volumes, an ablation programcan be generated by known simple generating methods, as described, forexample, in DE 19727573 C1 or EP 1060710 A2, according to which ablationprogram the mean ablation depth D_(M) results, in a uniformly or slowlyvarying manner, for a distance a of laser beam pulses directed onto thesurface according to: $D_{M} = {c\frac{V_{pulse}}{a^{2}}}$

In this case, c is a proportionality factor resulting from the patternof the points of incidence of the laser beam's pulses. For example, anapproximately square pattern yields c=1, whereas an approximatelyhexagonal pattern yields c=2/√{square root over (3)}.

In the following, it will be assumed that the ablation profile slowlychanges spatially with respect to the length of the distance a, or thatthe inclination slowly changes with respect to the diameter of the laserbeam 3 on the surface. In order to describe the spatial dependence ofthese spatially slowly varying parameters, coordinates u and v will beused in the following, which are given in a u-v coordinate system thatcoincides with the x-y coordinate system. Thus, the single-pulseablation volume and, likewise, the mean depth D_(M) resulting from thepulses placed next to each other are to be understood as a function of uand v.

This allows to calculate a modification function K, which depends on uand v and results as${{K\left( {u,v} \right)} = \frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}\left( {u,v} \right)}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {u,v} \right)}}{V_{{pulse},E}\left( {u,v} \right)}},$wherein the index “E” designates quantities which are determined whenusing a simple generating method, i.e. one that does not take theinclination and the shape of the beam profile into consideration. Thefactor cos(θ(u, v)) results from the fact that the distance a in the x-yplane increases by 1/cos(θ(u,v)) in one direction due to the inclinationof the surface. V_(pulse,1st)(U, v) itself may depend on cos(θ(u, v)). Kdepends on the shape of the beam profile via V_(pulse,1st).

If an ablation program were determined by any of the aforementionedsimple generating methods on the basis of the desired ablation profileD_(Soll), this would yield an actual ablation profile reduced withrespect to the desired ablation profile according to the modificationfunction K:D _(1st)(u,v)=K(u,v)·D _(Soll).

Therefore, in order to compensate this error in advance, the desiredablation profile D_(Soll) that is to be ablated is divided by themodification function K, thus yielding a modified and pre-compensateddesired ablation profile D_(Mod):${D_{Mod}\left( {u,v} \right)} = {\frac{D_{Soll}\left( {u,v} \right)}{K\left( {u,v} \right)}.}$

Using the simple generating method, this leads to an ablation programwhich, when being executed, yields the desired ablation profileD_(Soll). If the pre-compensated or modified desired ablation profile isused to determine an ablation program by the conventional simplegenerating methods, the desired ablation profile is obtained with verygood approximation during ablation even in the case of surfaces inclinedwith respect to the laser beam and a non-constant beam profile.

In order to determine the locations onto which the laser pulses are tobe emitted, various known methods can be used, e.g. the methodsdescribed in DE 19727573 C1 and EP 1060710 A2. In DE 19727573 C1,ablation is effected in layers, i.e. locations of impingement aredetermined in a layer-wise fashion for pulses, with the desired profilethen resulting from superposition of these layers. According to themethod in EP 1060710 A2, the spot distance is varied in aquasi-continuous manner in order to achieve the desired ablation depth.

The calculation of the modification function is explained using as anexample the ablation of a spherical surface by a laser beam having aGauss-shaped beam profile (cf. FIG. 3).

The beam profile or fluence is described by the formula${{F_{P}(r)} = {F_{0}{\mathbb{e}}^{- \frac{r^{2}}{w^{2}}}}},$wherein F₀ is the peak fluence value, r is the radial distance from thecenter of the beam profile, and w is the distance after the profile hasdropped to 1/e relative to the value at the center.

For the actual ablation profile of a laser pulse impinging orthogonallyon a planar surface, this yields:${{D_{lst}(r)} = {{\mu\quad\ln\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}} - {\mu\frac{r^{2}}{w^{2}}}}},$so that the single-pulse ablation volume for this pulse is calculated as$V_{{pulse},E} = {\frac{\pi}{2}\mu\quad{{w^{2}\left\lbrack {\ln\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}} \right\rbrack}^{2}.}}$

As the mean depth of the desired profile for a square pattern of thepoints of impingement of the pulses, or spot pattern, having an edgelength a, a mean depth of ablation according to${D_{E}(r)} = {\frac{V_{s,E}}{a^{2}} = {\frac{\pi}{2}\mu{\frac{w^{2}}{a^{2}}\left\lbrack {\ln\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}} \right\rbrack}^{2}}}$can be expected. If D_(E) were assumed to be equal to D_(Soll), a couldbe determined as a function of the location. However, the sphericalsurface is actually inclined, except at the center, with respect to thelaser beam 3 that is assumed to impinge parallel to the z-axis withsufficiently good approximation. As is evident from FIG. 3, the angle ofinclination can be calculated in the following manner as a function ofthe distance ρ of a location on the surface of the eye 2:${\theta(\rho)} = {{\arcsin\left( \frac{- \rho}{R} \right)} = {{\arctan\left( \frac{- \rho}{\sqrt{R^{2} - \rho^{2}}} \right)}.}}$

The inclination of the surface at the location ρ then has the effectthat both the spot distance in the direction of inclination and the spotwidth w in the direction of inclination are increased by the factor1/cos(θ(ρ)). Therefore, the ratio w/a in the equation for D does notchange with the inclination. However, the fluence does change in thisequation. Therefore, the following result is obtained for the depthprofile to be expected on the spherical surface:${D_{lst}(\rho)} = {\frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}(\rho)}\cos\quad{\theta(\rho)}}{a^{2}} = {\frac{\pi}{2}\mu\quad{\frac{w^{2}}{a^{2}}\left\lbrack {\ln\frac{{F_{0} \cdot \cos}\quad{\theta(\rho)}}{F_{thr}}} \right\rbrack}^{2}}}$

The modification function K(ρ) is then calculated as${K(\rho)} = {\frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}(\rho)}\cos\quad{\theta(\rho)}}{V_{{pulse},E}} = \left( {1 + \frac{\ln\quad\cos\quad{\theta(\rho)}}{\ln\quad\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}}} \right)^{2}}$

This result may be systematically obtained also by assuming cos(θ) to beconstant over the spot area in the formula for the single-pulse ablationvolume.

The method steps schematically shown in the flow scheme of FIG. 4 areused to determine the ablation program.

At first, the surface topography of the region to be treated isdetermined in step S10 by the device 9 for acquiring the surfacetopography data. For example, the corresponding data may compriseheights of the surface with respect to the x-y plane, said heights beingdetected above a grid of points in the x-y plane.

In step S12, these data are then read into the data processing device 5via the interface 11′ for the surface topography data. Surfaceinclinations are then determined from the height data by numericaldeterminations of gradients, as well as determining the above-indicatedformula for the angle of inclination. The corresponding data are thenstored in the memory of the data processing device 5.

In the example, the desired ablation profile D_(Soll) is determined instep S14, after steps S10 and S12, using the device 10 for determiningthe desired ablation profile. In other exemplary embodiments, this canalso be effected prior to said steps. For this purpose, imaging errorsare determined from wavefront data. Known methods are used to calculateat which locations of the eye's surface material is to be ablated towhat depth. In the present example, the desired ablation profileD_(Soll) is given by specifying the desired ablation depth as a functionof the location on a grid in the x-y plane.

In step S16, these data are then read via the interface 12′ into thedata processing device 5 and stored there in its memory.

In step S18, beam parameters of the laser beam 3 to be used are thenread in via the interface 13. For this purpose, only the diameter or thehalf-width of a Gaussian beam profile of the laser beam is input in thisexemplary embodiment. The Gaussian shape of the laser beam 3 is assumedas fixed and is taken into consideration in the form of correspondingformulae in the program being executed on the processor of the dataprocessing device 5.

In step S20 the pulse energy to be used per surface area or the fluenceto be used is then input and stored. More precisely, the peak value F₀of the fluence for the Gaussian profile is input.

In step S22 values of the modification function K are then determinedfor the entire desired ablation profile, optionally determining, byinterpolation, values of the angle of inclination on the grid used tospecify the desired ablation profile. The above-specified formula forthe function K is used for this purpose. The corresponding values arethen stored again.

Following this, step S24 determines a modified or pre-compensateddesired ablation profile D_(Mod) by dividing the desired ablationdepths, which are given for the respective grid points due to thedesired ablation profile read in, by the value of the modificationfunction K determined for each respective grid point. The modifieddesired ablation profile is then stored.

In the next step S26, an ablation program is generated on the basis ofthe modified desired ablation profile D_(Mod), the fluence read in, andthe beam parameter, for which purpose a method is used that does notsimultaneously take the surface inclination and the shape of the beamprofile into consideration. For example, the method described in DE19727573 C1 can be used. The ablation program thus generated comprises asequence of target locations in the x-y plane, i.e. correspondingcoordinates onto which the laser pulses have to be directed with thepulse energy determined by the fluence read in, in order to achieve thedesired ablation profile to be achieved. The ablation program is storedin the data processing device 5. This step completes the actualgeneration of the ablation program.

In the next step S28, control commands are output to the laser 7 and tothe deflecting device 8 by the data processing device 5 using theintegrated control unit 6 so as to remove material from the eye 2according to the generated ablation program.

The ablation method is suitable for both photo-refractive keratectomyand LASIK. Since these methods involve the removal of material indifferent layers of the eye, the use of different desired ablationprofiles may be accordingly required in some cases.

According to a further variant of the method just described, therequired memory space can be reduced by combining steps S22 and S24 andby calculating the modification function for each point of support ofthe desired ablation profile without being stored after thecorresponding modified desired ablation profile value has beendetermined.

FIG. 5 shows the modification factor as a function of the radius ρ withreference to a convex-spherical ablation profile on a circular regionhaving a diameter of 8 mm, said region having been formed by ablation ona surface with a radius of curvature of 7.86 mm. The solid line shows acorrection factor which is obtained by the method disclosed in WO01/85075 A1, i.e. particularly without taking the shape of the beamprofile into consideration. The broken line represents the resultachieved by the method just described. It is easy to see that as theradial distance from the center of the calotte increases and, thus, asthe inclination increases, the corrections by the present methods gainimportance and differ considerably from those of the prior art.

FIG. 6 shows an instrument according to a further preferred embodimentof the first aspect of the invention, which instrument differs from thatof the first exemplary embodiment in that a device 16 for determiningthe beam profile of the laser beam 3 is arranged in the beam path of thelaser beam 3 between the laser 7 and the deflecting device 8 here, bymeans of which device 16 the beam profile of the laser beam 3 can bedetermined and supplied to the data processing device 5 through asuitable data link via the interface 13′ for the beam parameters, thedata processing device 5 being programmed to execute the variant of thegenerating method described below.

The device 16 for determining the beam profile is represented in moredetail in FIG. 7. Before reaching the work plane 17, i.e. the plane inwhich ablation takes place, the laser beam 3 is split into a processingbeam 19 and a measurement beam 20 with the help of a beam splitter 18 inthe form of a wedge plate. By reflection at its second surface, thewedge plate 18 generates a further beam 21, which is absorbed by a stop22.

The measurement beam 20 is deflected by a mirror 23, impinges on anoptional attenuator 24 and is then incident on a ground glass screen or,when UV light is used, a fluorescent screen 25. The mirror 23 and thefrosted glass screen 25 are arranged such that the measurement beam 20travels approximately the same path length as the processing beam 19 onits way from the beam splitter 18 to the work plane 17.

Using a video camera 26 as space-resolving detector, e.g. a CCD camera,the image of the scattered light from the ground glass screen or of thefluorescent light is recorded in a space-resolved manner and isevaluated electronically. The video camera 26 is selected such that itsrecording rate is greater than the repetition rate used for the laser,thus allowing the beam profile to be measured even during the ablationoperation. In the case of slow changes of the beam profile, a slowanalysis of the beam profile may also be effected prior to performingthe ablation operation.

A corresponding method for generating an ablation program differs fromthe corresponding method of the first exemplary embodiment in that stepS18 does not involve reading in the width of the Gaussian beam but thebeam profile determined by the device 16.

Moreover, step S22 involves determining the values of the modificationfunction by numeric integration according to the following formula$\begin{matrix}{{K\left( {u,v} \right)} = \frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}\left( {u,v} \right)}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {u,v} \right)}}{V_{{pulse},E}\left( {u,v} \right)}} \\{{= {\frac{\int\limits_{Spot}{r\quad\ln\quad\frac{{F_{P}(r)}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {u,v} \right)}}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}r}}}{\int\limits_{Spot}{r\quad\ln\quad\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}r}}}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {u,v} \right)}}},}\end{matrix}$wherein the beam profile is assumed to have rotation symmetry and rdesignates the radius transverse to the propagation direction of thelaser beam.

A third exemplary embodiment of a method for generating an ablationprogram is illustrated in FIG. 8. A corresponding instrument differsfrom the instrument of the first exemplary embodiment by programming thedata processing device 5 such that it can carry out the ablation methoddescribed below.

The ablation method which encompasses the method for generating anablation program comprises several steps which correspond to those ofthe method described in FIG. 4. Therefore, these will be referred tobelow by the same reference numerals and will not be described in detailagain.

Thus, data relating to the surface inclination are determined and storedin steps S10 and S12, and data relating to the desired ablation profileare determined and stored in steps S14 and S16.

In step S30, which follows then, the width of a given Gaussian beamprofile and a pre-set initial fluence value, i.e. a pre-set initial peakvalue, are read in.

In step S32, which follows, a preliminary ablation program is thengenerated on the basis of the input desired ablation profile, thepre-set fluence read in, and the beam parameters, wherein the simplegenerating method used for this purpose does not take the shape of thebeam profile into consideration simultaneously with the inclination. Inparticular, the above-mentioned method of DE 197 27 573 C1 can be used.The preliminary ablation program which in turn comprises a series ofcoordinates for locations on the surface of the eye 2, onto which thepulses are to be directed, is then stored.

Next, in order to generate the ablation program to be finally used,fluence values or pulse energies which are modified with respect to thepre-set fluence peak value are determined for each pulse in step S34. Ifthe simplified method used to generate the preliminary ablation programis based on a single-pulse ablation volume V_(S,E), the followingrelationship between the actual single-pulse ablation volume V_(S,1st)for one pulse and the single-pulse ablation volume V_(S,E) used togenerate the preliminary ablation program results as already describedabove:${K\left( {u,v} \right)} = \frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}\left( {u,v} \right)}\cos\quad\left( {\theta\left( {u,v} \right)} \right)}{V_{{pulse},E}\left( {u,v} \right)}$wherein V_(pulse,1st) and V_(pulse,E) are functions of thedimension-less ratio F₀/F_(THR). In addition, V_(pulse, 1st) alsodepends directly on the inclination or the angle θ at the correspondinglocation.

The inclination is known for each pulse and, thus, for a correspondinglocation on the surface, so that this relationship can be regarded as anequation for determining a fluence to be used for the pulse or a peakvalue F₀ or a corresponding pulse energy, on which the single-pulseablation volumes or the modification function K, respectively, depend.This equation is then numerically calculated for each pulse, e.g. usinga Newton method which is known to the person skilled in the art, for therelationship F₀/F_(THR) and stored. This yields a usable ablationprogram, which includes a series of target locations, onto which thepulses of the laser beam 3 are to be directed, according to thepreliminary ablation program, and includes a corresponding position- orcoordinate-dependent fluence peak value F₀ or a corresponding pulseenergy for each of the target locations.

By suitable control of a high-voltage supply of the excimer laser 7 and,thus, of the charging of capacitors in which the energy for one pulse isrespectively stored, according to the ablation program and bysimultaneously controlling the deflecting device 8, ablation can beeffected in step S36, using laser pulses with a position- orcoordinate-dependent pulse energy and, thus, fluence.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the determination of thepeak value of fluence may optionally be effected also during the actualablation.

A variant of this exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 9. Theinstrument schematically shown here differs from the instrument of theprevious exemplary embodiment in that the beam path of the laser beam 3between the laser 7 and the deflecting device 8 includes a modulator 27,which is a liquid crystal element, in the present example, whosetransmission can be controlled by the control unit 6′. Moreover, thecontrol unit 6′, compared to the control unit 6, comprises an output forcontrol of the modulator 27, and the computer program executed in thedata processing device 5 is provided to control fluence, not bycontrolling the laser 7, but by changing the transmission of themodulator 27.

The fluence of the laser 7 is then set such that the maximum fluencerequired for ablation according to the ablation program is achieved bymaximum transmission of the modulator 27. During ablation in accordancewith the ablation program, the modulator 27 is controlled such that thepulses impinging on the surface have the desired energy or fluence.

FIG. 10 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a method for generatingan ablation program which can be executed by an instrument that differsfrom the instrument 1 only by the way in which the data processingdevice 5 is programmed.

The method is identical with the method of the first exemplaryembodiment in steps S10 to S20, so that the same reference numerals areused for these steps and the explanations apply accordingly. In thiscase, however, the ablation program is generated in an iterative manner,taking into consideration the shape of the beam profile with a spatialresolution of greater than the beam cross-section.

Starting out with a preliminary ablation program generated on the basisof the desired ablation profile, a predicted actual ablation profileD_(i) is predicted with high spatial resolution. The N single-pulsecoordinates are described by the coordinates (x_(Pi), y_(Pi)), i=1 . . .N. On a fine point grid of M×M points (x_(m), y_(m)), m=1, . . . , M,for which x_(m)−x_(m−1)<<w and also y_(m)−y_(m−1)<<w hold true, thecontribution of each of said N single pulses to the ablation depth iscalculated with a spatial resolution that is better than the beamprofile diameter: $\begin{matrix}{{D_{I}\left( {x_{m},y_{m}} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{\underset{D_{j} > 0}{i = 1}}^{N}{D_{i}\left( {x_{m},y_{m}} \right)}}} \\{= {\sum\limits_{\underset{D_{j} > 0}{i = 1}}^{N}\left( {{\mu\quad\ln\frac{F_{0}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {x_{m},y_{m}} \right)}}{F_{thr}}} - {\mu\frac{\left( {x_{Pi} - x_{m}} \right)^{2} + \left( {y_{Pi} - y_{m}} \right)^{2}}{w^{2}}}} \right)}}\end{matrix}$

Thus, the correct local angle of inclination θ is taken intoconsideration at each location of the ablation profile, and the fluenceis reduced by cos θ. At the same time, the shape of the beam profile istaken into consideration. This predicted ablation profile is used afterfurther steps for generating a further preliminary ablation program.More precisely, the following steps are carried out.

In step S38 a loop counter j is first set to the value 1 for the firstiteration step.

In step S40, a preliminary ablation program is then generated in thefirst iteration loop j=1, from the desired ablation profile D_(Soll),and in the subsequent iteration loops j=2, 3, . . . from modifieddesired ablation profiles D_(Soll,j) from the preceding iteration loopby means of a simple generating method in the current iteration loop j,wherein the shape of the beam profile and the inclination of the surfaceare not taken into consideration simultaneously when generating theablation program. For this purpose, the above-mentioned method of DE19727573 C1 can be used, for example.

In step S42, an actual ablation profile D_(ij) is predicted, using the“blow-off” model, on the basis of the preliminary ablation program, aspreviously described. For this purpose, a grid of points of support inthe x-y plane is used, which is considerably finer than the extent ofthe laser beam, thus allowing the shape of the beam to be resolved. Foreach pulse, an ablation depth is calculated at each corresponding pointof support according to the “blow-off” model and according to thefluence actually effective there, i.e. the fluence of the laser beamcorrected by the surface inclination, and if components of severalpulses are incident on the same location, these ablation depths aresummed up.

In the next step S44, values of a partial modification functionK_(j)=D_(ij)/D_(Soll,1) are then determined at the points of support,which function indicates how much the predicted actual ablation profileD_(ij) deviates from the predetermined desired ablation profileD_(Soll,1). The values are then temporarily stored. The function givenby the values is computationally smoothened again by the use of alow-pass filter after the first computation.

In the next step S46 it is then verified whether the values of themodification function determined in step S44 and, thus, the ratio of theablation profiles for all of the locations or points of support (x,y)under consideration, deviates from 1 by less than a predetermined errore, e.g. 0.05.

If such a deviation occurs, a further iteration loop is passed throughby first forming a new, modified desired ablation profileD_(Soll,j+1)=D_(Soll)/K_(j) in a step S48. Said profile then providesthe basis for generating a new preliminary ablation program in the nextstep S40.

In step S50, the loop counter j is increased by 1. Following this, thenext iteration loop is started in step S40.

On the other hand, if the partial modification function K_(j) equals 1sufficiently, step S46 of the method is followed by step S52, in whichthe value of a modification function K(x,y)=K₁(x,y) . . . K_(j)(x,y) isdetermined for each location or for each point (x,y) from all valuesdetermined for the partial modification functions K_(j) in the iterationloops.

In step S54, a pre-compensated desired ablation profile D_(Soll,mod) isdetermined from the predetermined desired ablation profile D_(Soll,1) inthat the desired ablation depth defined by D_(Soll,1) for all points(x,y) is divided by the corresponding value of the modification functionK for the location.

As in step S26 of the first exemplary embodiment, the ablation programto be used is generated in step S26 on the basis of the pre-compensateddesired ablation profile D_(Soll,mod). By said pre-compensation, i.e.modification using the modification function K, the predetermineddesired ablation profile is modified such that any errors that wouldoccur when using the simple generating method to generate an ablationprogram directly from the predetermined desired ablation profile by notconsidering the influences of the beam profile shape and of the surfaceinclination are compensated for already prior to said generation, i.e.the generated ablation program intended for use leads to the desiredablation profile to be achieved with very good approximation in the caseof an ablation according to the program.

In step S 58, suitable control commands can then be output to the laser7 and/or the deflecting device 8 according to the ablation program inorder to ablate the desired ablation profile to be achieved from thesurface.

FIG. 11 a shows a horizontal curve of intersection through the center ofthe spherical ablation profile over a region having a diameter of 8 mmto be ablated from a sphere having a radius of 7.86 mm. The solid lineindicates the predicted actual profile D_(E) that would result in caseof a surface not inclined relative to the laser beam 3, whereas thebroken line indicates the actual ablation profile D_(I,1) taking theinclination and the beam profile shape into consideration. FIG. 11 bshows the difference between these two curves.

FIG. 5 compares the result of the method according to the last exemplaryembodiment with the results of the two previously described methods. Inthis case, the modification after a complete cycle of a first iterationis indicated by black squares. As can be seen, the deviations from themodification factor that does not take the shape of the beam profileinto consideration are again considerably greater at a greater distancefrom the center of the calotte, i.e. at greater angles of inclination,so that this method is expected to yield improved ablation results.

It has been shown that a sufficiently good pre-compensation of errors isalready achieved if only one iteration is carried out, i.e. by settingj=1. Therefore, a modified embodiment omits steps S38 and S46 to S52,with step S44 directly determining the values of the modificationfunction K which then corresponds to the first partial modificationfunction. The ablation program is then generated particularly quickly.The data processing device 5 and, thus, the generating device isprogrammed accordingly to carry out the method.

In the preceding exemplary embodiments, it was assumed that the data ofinclination and the data for the desired ablation profile are given inthe same coordinate system. However, this is not necessary. Rather, amodified method allows to input data at the start which indicate therelative position of the origins of the corresponding coordinatesystems, so that after the corresponding data have been read in, theinclination data and the desired ablation profile can be easilytransferred to a common coordinate system by simple shifting.

In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, use ismade of a beam having a particularly favorable beam profile shape at thesurface to be ablated. The beam profile is shaped such that all regionsof the two-dimensional fluence distribution or energy distribution arelocated above the threshold value F_(thr) for ablation. An example ofsuch beam profile is shown in FIG. 12. The beam profile results from aGaussian profile in which the edges have been cut off according to theaforementioned criterion.

If such beam profile is used, the entire beam cross-section has anablating effect at the surface so that a thermal load on adjacentregions can be minimized.

The shape of such beam profile can be caused by a stop which cuts offthe desired parts of an output beam profile. In such case, the part ofthe laser energy incident on the stop is not used, which is adisadvantage in energy-critical applications. However, the effect of thereduced thermal load on the surface to be processed is present here aswell.

For shaping the beam profile, use is preferably made of a micro-opticalelement which generates the desired intensity distribution directly in adiffractive or refractive manner. WO99/20429 A1 and DE 19623749 A1describe corresponding micro-optical elements for generating a Gaussianintensity distribution. For example, a static refractive microlens arraycan be used wherein a predetermined angle distribution of the radiationis defined by the size distribution of the microlenses. The microopticalelement re-arranges the incident laser beam with great efficiency suchthat the resulting re-shaped beam profile corresponds to the desiredintensity distribution, but without losing any energy or powercomponents.

This allows not only to reduce the thermal load on the surface to beprocessed, but also considerable energy savings, which is particularlyadvantageous in applications where the radiation energy of the laser iscritical. In case of a cut-off (“truncated”) Gaussian profile whose peakfluence amounts to four times the threshold fluence and whose fluencecomponents below the threshold fluence are discarded, approximately 25%of energy can be saved as compared to the complete Gaussian profile withthe same ablation effect. This also means that thermal heating of thesurface to be processed, or of tissue in the case of treatment of aneye, is not translated to heat, which may be a great advantageespecially in the field of corneal surgery. Such beam profiles can beemployed in any spot scanning ablation method and, in particular, alsoin the ablation methods according to the invention.

A laser surgical instrument 101 for treatment of a patient's eye 2according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention's secondaspect is applied in a similar manner as the instrument 1 for carryingout a refractive correction in the eye and insofar replaces theinstrument 1 of FIG. 1. Accordingly, as in FIG. 1, the instrument 101emits a pulsed laser beam 3 onto the eye 1 of the patient whose head isfixed by a head support 4 that is securely connected to the instrument101.

FIG. 13 schematically shows in more detail the design of the instrumentwhich is a laser ablation device. The instrument comprises a dataprocessing device 105 with an integrated control unit 106, a laser 107controlled by the control unit 106 and a deflecting device 108, which isalso controlled by the control unit and by means of which the pulsedlaser beam 103 emitted by the laser 107 can be directed and focused ontarget locations on the cornea of the eye 2 according to a givenablation program.

The instrument further comprises a device 109 for acquiring watercontent measurement data, from which the water content of a region to betreated in the eye 2, more specifically the cornea, can be determined,and a device 110 for determining a desired ablation profile. Bothdevices are coupled to the data processing device 105. The dataprocessing device 105, the control unit 106, the device 109 foracquiring water content measurement data and the device 110 fordetermining the desired ablation profile form a device for generating anablation program according to a first preferred embodiment of theinvention's second aspect.

The data processing device 105 with integrated control unit 106 servesto generate an ablation program by the use of data from which the watercontent in the material of the region to be treated can be determined,data relating to the properties of the laser beam 3, and data relatingto the desired ablation profile to be ablated. For this purpose, thedata processing device 105 comprises a processor and a memory forstoring data in which, in particular, a computer program includingprogram code is also stored, which code, when the program is executed onthe processor, allows to generate the ablation program and to generatecontrol signals using the integrated control unit 106 to control thelaser 107 and/or the deflecting device 108, which signals are output tothe laser 107 or to the deflecting device 108 so as to carry out theactual ablation. The memory and the processor are partially illustratedin the block diagram by the block “generate ablation program”.

For this purpose, the data processing device 105 comprises interfacesfor data input, namely an interface 111 for input of water contentmeasurement data from the device 109 for acquiring water contentmeasurement data, an interface 112 for manual input of the desiredablation profile, and an interface 112′ for reading in data relating tothe desired ablation profile from the device 110 for determining thedesired ablation profile. Moreover, an interface 113 for input of beamparameters for the laser beam 3 is provided. In this exemplaryembodiment, the interface 113 is provided as an interface for manualinput.

In physical terms, the interfaces for manual input may be one singleinterface to which, although not shown in the Figures, a keyboard and ascreen, on which an input prompt can be displayed when correspondingdata are to be read in, are connected. The interfaces further comprisecorresponding modules of the computer program for reading in data fromthe keyboard.

The other interfaces 111′ and 112′ are conventional interfaces for datastreams which, in addition to corresponding electronic modules, alsocomprise software modules.

The control unit 106 is integrated into the data processing device 105and further comprises interfaces, not shown in the Figures, for outputof control signals to control the laser 107 and the deflecting device108. Such control units are basically known and therefore need not beexplained in more detail.

The laser 107 is connected to the control unit 106 and emits a pulsedlaser beam with predetermined pulse energies as a function of theablation program. For example, an excimer laser having a wavelength inthe wavelength range of 193 nm can be used.

The deflecting device 108 is also connected to the control unit 106 viaa data link and, in accordance with control signals from the controlunit 106, directs the pulsed laser beam 3 emitted by the laser 107 ontopredetermined target locations on the surface of the eye 2 according tothe ablation program to be executed. For this purpose, the deflectingdevice 108 comprises a focusing device 114 for focusing the laser beamalong its direction of propagation and for deflection transverse to thelaser beam via two mirrors 115, which are rotatable or tiltable abouttwo mutually orthogonal axes and are arranged in the beam path followingthe focusing device 114.

Both the laser 107 and the deflecting device 108 may be conventional,known devices of a laser surgical instrument.

In order to indicate the water content and the desired ablation profile,two parallel Cartesian coordinate systems are used whose x-y planescoincide. If possible, the z axis is aligned parallel to the opticalaxis of the eye with good approximation. In the example, it is assumedfor the sake of easier illustration that the origins of the coordinatesystems coincide so that the coordinate systems coincide and are notdistinguished any more in the following. If the coordinate origins donot coincide, the relative position can be manually input after readingin the data relating to the water content or the desired ablationprofile, following which the data can be transferred to a commoncoordinate system. A corresponding interface for input of the relativeposition may then be provided. FIG. 3 shows the position of thecoordinate system for a spherical body or a sphere having a surface 2′as a simplified model of the eye 2. The z-axes are defined duringalignment of the eye 2 relative to the instrument 101, for which purposea fixating light not shown in the Figures may be used, for example.

In the example, the device 109 for acquiring water content measurementdata comprises a device for confocal Raman spectroscopy of the cornea ofthe eye as described, for example, in “Assessment of Transient Changesin Corneal Hydration Using Confocal Raman Spectroscopy”, Brian T.Fischer et al., Cornea 22 (4), pages 363-370, 2003. The region of thecornea of the eye 2 intended for processing is scanned with a suitablelaser beam that is focused both in depth and also laterally of the laserbeam. Raman radiation coming from the eye 2 is then confocally detectedso that the intensity of the Raman radiation can be detected fordifferent locations in the volume to be ablated. The data indicatingintensity, i.e. the water content measurement data, are input for eachmeasured location to the data processing device 105 via the interface111. The computer program in the data processing device 105 comprisesprogram code by means of which the data can be converted to datadescribing the water content at the respective location.

In the present example, the device 110 for determining the desiredablation profile comprises a wavefront analyzer of the Hartmann-Shacktype as well as, where appropriate, devices for determining therefractive power of the eye 2, by which analyzer or devices,respectively, a desired ablation profile D_(Soll) for the region to betreated in the eye 2 can be determined according to known methods. Indoing so, the desired ablation profile is determined such thatcorrection of imaging errors in the eye 2 can be achieved as far aspossible by the ablation to be carried out. An example of the desiredablation profile is evident from FIG. 3. It is given by the distances,in the direction of z, between the initial surface, the calotte 2′, anda desired surface 2″ indicated by a broken line, as a function of thelocation in the x-y plane. A region to be ablated is formed by thevolume between the surface 2′ before ablation and the desired surface2″, the latter being formed by the desired ablation profile.

In order to determine the desired ablation profile, the device 110 maycomprise a suitable processor which evaluates data relating to therefractive power of the eye 2 and the wavefront data in order todetermine the desired ablation profile again, in the present example, inthe form of the desired ablation depths for locations of support in theform of points of a point grid in the x-y plane of the correspondingcoordinate system which coincides with the x-y plane of the coordinatesystem for indicating the ablation profile. As far as the coordinateorigins are not identical, the position of one of the reference pointsor coordinate origins in the respective other coordinate system can begiven so that the data can be transformed by simple shifting into anidentical coordinate system during a later process stage. This may turnout to be favorable if the center of the desired ablation profile, i.e.a point relative to which the desired ablation profile is approximatelysymmetrical, deviates from the center of the surface of the eye 2, i.e.from a point relative to which the surface of the eye is approximatelysymmetrical. Such a method for generating a desired ablation profile isdescribed, for example, in WO 01/08075 A1, the respective contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated in the description by reference.

The method for generating an ablation program according to the firstexemplary embodiment of the invention's second aspect is based on thefollowing considerations.

In order to ablate the desired ablation profile D_(Soll) from the eye 2,laser pulses having a predetermined pulse energy are emitted ontopredetermined target locations according to a generated ablationprogram, each of said laser pulses individually leading to a removal ofmaterial. The depth of removal by a pulse can be described by variousmodels. In the present example, the so-called “blow-off” model is used,as described, for example, in “Refraktive Chirurgie der Hornhaut”, TheoSeiler (Ed.), 1st edition, ENKE Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart/N.Y.,2000 (ISBN 3-13-118071-4), Chapter 6.1, p. 150, or in R. Srinivasan:“Ablation of Polymers and Biological Tissue by Ultraviolet Lasers”,Science vol. 234, p. 559-565, 31 Oct. 1986.

Following this, material is removed to a depth D_(p) at a locationhaving the coordinates (x, y), by laser radiation impinging at thislocation and having an effective fluence F(x,y), i.e. energy per surfacearea, according to the following formula: $\begin{matrix}{{D_{P}\left( {x,y} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{{\mu \cdot \ln}\frac{F\left( {x,y} \right)}{F_{thr}}},} & {{{if}\quad{F\left( {x,y} \right)}} > F_{thr}} \\{0,} & {{otherwise}.}\end{matrix} \right.} & (1)\end{matrix}$

In this formula, μ designates a material-dependent ablation coefficientand F_(thr) designates a likewise material-dependent ablation thresholdfluence value, below which value laser radiation no longer results inmaterial removal from the eye 2.

In the simple generating method for an ablation program used below, itis assumed that the desired ablation profile can be split intosingle-pulse ablation volumes which form upon impingement of a pulse. Inthis case, generating the ablation program includes determining thetarget locations (x,y) onto which the pulses of a predetermined pulseenergy have to be directed.

In generating an ablation program, it is assumed that a laser pulseremoves a single-pulse or spot ablation volume V_(pulse) which isobtained as an integral of the ablation depth D_(p) over the entirepulse area: $\begin{matrix}{V_{pulse} = {{\underset{{Spot}\quad}{\int\int}{D_{P}\left( {x,y} \right)}{\mathbb{d}x}{\mathbb{d}y}} = {\mu\underset{{Spot}\quad}{\int\int}\ln\quad\frac{F\left( {x,y} \right)}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}x}{{\mathbb{d}y}.}}}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

The integral extends over the area designated as “Spot”, in whichD_(p)>0 holds.

In the following, the surface area in which D_(p)>0 applies is assumedto be constant and to have an area d², in which case V_(pulse)=d² D_(p).

In simple generating methods in which the water content of the materialto be ablated and, in particular, variations in the water content of thematerial to be ablated are not taken into consideration, the ablationdepth D_(P,0) of a pulse without taking the water content intoconsideration results as follows: $\begin{matrix}{D_{P,0} = {\mu_{0} \cdot {{\ln\left( \frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}} \right)}.}}} & (3)\end{matrix}$

μ₀ designates an empirically determined ablation rate which is assumedto be constant. In this case, the empirical determination can beeffected by testing ablation on a larger number of different eyes, i.e.on their cornea.

When using a simple method to generate an ablation program, it isassumed that each pulse emitted onto the same location ablates the samesingle-pulse volume or the same single-pulse ablation depth D_(P,0),said volumes adding up. This is illustrated in FIG. 14 a. This Figureschematically shows, by way of example, a desired ablation profile alonga diameter through the eye 2, approximately along the x-axis. Thesingle-pulse ablation volumes V_(S) are successively ablated and resultin the desired ablation depth, with each single-pulse ablation volumeV_(S) corresponding to a single-pulse ablation depth D_(P,0). If thecoordinates of the target locations considered are designated by (x_(i),y_(i)), i=1, . . . , G, G being a natural number, the number N_(i,0) ofpulses to be emitted to a target location (x_(i),y_(i)) is obtained as:$\begin{matrix}{N_{i,0} = {\frac{D_{ideal}\left( {x_{i},y_{i}} \right)}{D_{P,0}}.}} & (4)\end{matrix}$

However, the ablation rate μ actually depends on the water content H inthe material to be ablated. In the example, a model based on theblow-off model yields the single-pulse ablation depth D_(P,W) of apulse—taking the water content of the material into consideration—as$\begin{matrix}{{D_{P,W} = {\mu\quad{(H) \cdot {\ln\left( \frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}} \right)}}}},} & (5)\end{matrix}$wherein the ablation rate μ(H) depending on the water content H may beassumed, for example, to be proportional to the water content H with aproportionality constant k:μ(H)=k·H.  (6)

The value of the proportionality constant k is selected such that, for amean water content H_(m) of the cornea determined in the above surveys,k·H_(m)=μ₀ holds true.

However, the water content of the material or tissue to be ablated fromthe cornea may, in fact, change as a function of ambient conditions,such as air humidity, air stream above the eye, air temperature, and ofthe ablation conditions, e.g. the ablation rate, the number of pulsesbeing emitted onto a target location (x_(i), y_(i)) or already emittedin its vicinity, and the fluence of the pulses. In this exemplaryembodiment, the following model for the water content H of material tobe ablated above a target location (x_(i), y_(i)), onto whichn(x_(i),y_(i)) pulses have already been emitted, will be assumed:H(x _(i) ,y _(i) ;n(x _(i) ,y _(i)))=a(x _(i) ,y _(i))+b·log(n(x _(i) ,y_(i))).  (7)

The parameter a describes the water content at the target location(x_(i), y_(i)) prior to the start of ablation. This water content maydepend, for instance, on the type of treatment, e.g. photo-refractivekeratectomy, LASIK, LASIK with photo-disruptive generation of a foldablecornea cover, or LASEK, the properties of the individual eye and theambient conditions of ablation. The parameter b, which is assumed to beconstant in this exemplary embodiment, describes the change in watercontent effected by emitting pulses onto the location (x_(i), y_(i)). Inparticular, the parameter b may be obtained empirically by surveyexperiments.

When N_(W,i) pulses are emitted onto the same target location (x_(i),y_(i)), the single-pulse ablation depths, which are now no longerconstant due to their dependence on the water content H, add up to atotal depth. The number of N_(W,i) can be determined such thatparticularly the desired ablation depth D_(Soll)(x_(i), y_(i)) isachieved at the location (x_(i), y_(i)): $\begin{matrix}{{D_{ideal}\left( {x_{i},y_{i}} \right)} = {{\sum\limits_{1}^{N_{W,i}}D_{P,W}} \approx {\int_{0}^{N_{W,i}}{{D_{P,W}(u)}{{\mathbb{d}u}.}}}}} & (8)\end{matrix}$

As shown in equation (8), when a large number of pulses are emitted ontothe same location, the sum may be replaced with an integral byapproximation so as to enable approximate, but quicker computation ofthe sum.

Since the ablation rate increases as the number of pulses increases, theablation depth actually achieved by emitting N_(W,i) pulses onto thelocation (x_(i), y_(i)) changes with each pulse and differs fromN_(i,0)-times the single-pulse ablation depth D_(P,0) in the simplemodel in which the water content is not considered.

Therefore, in order to enable the use of a simple, e.g. known, methodwhich does not take the water content into consideration, for generatingthe ablation program, a modification function M is defined which servesto compute a pre-compensated or modified desired ablation profileD_(Mod) from the predetermined desired ablation profile D_(Soll):D _(Mod)(x _(i) ,y _(i))=M(D _(Soll)(x _(i) ,y _(i)))D _(Soll)(x _(i) ,y_(i))  (9)with $\begin{matrix}{{M\left( {D_{Soll}\left( {x_{i},y_{i}} \right)} \right)} = {\frac{N_{W,i}}{N_{i,0}} = {\frac{N_{W,i}D_{P,0}}{D_{Soll}\left( {x_{i},y_{i}} \right)}.}}} & (10)\end{matrix}$

As expressed in formulae (9) and (10), the modification function dependson the desired ablation depth D_(Soll)(x_(i), y_(i)), on the parameter aand, thus, on the water content of the material prior to ablation, aswell as on the parameter b and, thus, on the change in water content bysaid ablation. Moreover, there is a dependence on the model for D_(P,0)used in the simple generating method.

In particular, the ablation effect of a single pulse may increase as thenumber of pulses emitted onto the same location increases, so that for agreat desired ablation depth which requires a larger number of singlepulses at the same location, fewer single pulses are to be used thanwould be expected according to the formula (4).

Now, if a simpler generating method is used to generate the ablationprogram from the pre-compensated desired ablation profile D_(Mod), thefactor M contained in D_(Mod) compensates precisely those errors whichresult from not taking the water content into consideration in formula(3), so that when effecting ablation by an ablation program generatedfrom the pre-compensated desired ablation profile by means of the simplegenerating method, the predetermined desired ablation profile isachieved with good approximation.

In order to determine the locations onto which the laser pulses are tobe emitted, various known simple generating methods can be used, e.g.the methods described in DE 19727573 C1 and EP 1060710 A2. In DE19727573 C1, ablation is effected in layers, i.e. locations ofimpingement are determined in a layer-wise fashion for pulses, with thedesired profile then resulting from superposition of these layers.According to the method in EP 1060710 A2, the spot distance is varied ina quasi-continuous manner in order to achieve the desired ablationdepth.

In order to determine the ablation program, the method stepsschematically shown in the flow scheme of FIG. 15 are carried out, forwhich purpose the computer program executed in the data processingdevice comprises suitable program code.

First of all, the desired ablation profile D_(Soll) is determined instep S110 using the means 110 for determining the desired ablationprofile. This determination is activated here by a user. In anotherexemplary embodiment, the data processing device 105 outputs acorresponding control signal to the means 110 for determining thedesired ablation profile, via a control interface not shown in theFigures, to automatically start said determination. For saiddetermination, imaging errors are determined from wavefront data. Knownmethods are used to calculate at which locations on surface of the eyematerial is to be ablated to what depth. In the present example, thedesired ablation profile D_(Soll) is given by specifying the desiredablation depth as a function of the location on a grid in the x-y plane.

In step S112, these data are then read, via the interface 112′, into thedata processing device 105 and stored there in its memory.

In step S114, i.e. after steps S110 and S112 in the example, but alsoprior to these steps in other embodiments, intensities of Ramanradiation are detected in a space-resolved manner by means of confocalRaman spectroscopy as water content measurement data, and dataindicating these intensities are transmitted to the data processingdevice 105 together with corresponding position coordinates. Thisdetermination is activated here by a user. In another exemplaryembodiment, the interface 110 is also provided as a control interface,and the data processing device 105 outputs a corresponding controlsignal to the device 109 via said control interface 110 so as toautomatically start said determination.

In step S116, the water content measurement data are read in via theinterface 110 and temporarily stored in the memory of the dataprocessing device 105. Water content values a are then determined fromthe intensities for all locations for which water content measurementdata have been acquired and these values are stored in a form assignedto the locations.

In step S118, beam parameters of the laser beam 3 to be used are thenread in via the interface 113. In this exemplary embodiment, thediameter of the beam profile of the laser beam 3 is input for thispurpose. The shape of the laser beam 3 is assumed to be constant overthe beam cross-section and fixed and is taken into consideration in theform of corresponding formulae in the program being executed on theprocessor of the data processing device 105. Further, the pulse energyto be used per surface area, or the fluence F₀ to be used, is input andstored.

In step S120, a pre-compensated desired ablation profile D_(Mod) is thendetermined from the predetermined desired ablation profile D_(Soll). Forthis purpose, the following two partial steps are carried out for allsupporting locations at which the desired ablation profile is given: Thevalues for the proportionality constant k and the threshold value forthe fluence F_(thr) are stored in the program code. If (x_(i), y_(i))designates the location, the equation given by formula (8) is resolvedfor the pulse number N_(W,i) using the desired ablation depth D_(Soll)(x_(i), y_(i)) given by the desired ablation profile and using thevalues a(x_(i), y_(i)), b, k and F₀/F_(thr), for example by means of aNewton method for resolving non-linear equations. If a is not present atthe location (x_(i), y_(i)), a corresponding value can be obtained byinterpolation. The value M(D_(Soll)(x_(i), y_(i)) of the modificationfunction M is then determined according to formula (10).

In the subsequent partial step, in order to obtain a pre-compensateddesired ablation depth D_(Mod) at the location (x_(i), y_(i)), thepredetermined desired ablation depth D_(Soll)(x_(i), y_(i)) ismultiplied by the value M(D_(Soll)(x_(i), y_(i)) of the modificationfunction and stored as D_(Mod)(x_(i), y_(i)), assigned to the location(x_(i), y_(i)).

The pre-compensated desired ablation profile D_(Mod) is then given bythe locations (x_(i), y_(i)) and the pre-compensated desired ablationdepths D_(Mod)(x_(i), y_(i)) assigned to them.

In the next step S122 an ablation program is generated on the basis ofthe modified desired ablation profile D_(Mod), the input fluence and theother beam parameter as well as formula (3), for which purpose a methodis used that, therefore, does not take the water content of the tissueor the change in the water content of the tissue into considerationduring ablation. For example, the method described in DE 19727573 C1 canbe used. The ablation program thus generated comprises a sequence oftarget locations in the x-y plane, i.e. corresponding coordinates ontowhich the laser pulses have to be directed with the pulse energydetermined by the fluence read in, in order to achieve the desiredablation profile to be achieved. The ablation program is stored in thedata processing device 105. This step completes the actual generation ofthe ablation program.

In the next step S126, control commands are output to the laser 107 andto the deflecting device 108 by the data processing device 105 with theintegrated control unit 106 in order to remove material from the eye 2according to the generated ablation program.

The ablation method is suitable for both photorefractive keratectomy andLASIK. Since these methods involve the removal of material in differentlayers of the eye, the use of different desired ablation profiles may beaccordingly required in some cases.

A second exemplary embodiment of a method for forming and emittingcontrol signals for ablation according to an ablation program generatedby said method is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. A correspondingsignal-forming device differs from the signal-forming device accordingto the first exemplary embodiment of the invention's second aspect onlyin the programming of the data processing device 105 and, in thatrespect, only in that the latter can perform the method described belowfor forming control signals or for generating an ablation program,respectively. The method differs from the first method substantially inthat the fluence of pulses of the pulsed laser beam is now changedaccording to the water content. Moreover, this is done during emissionof the control signals and, thus, during ablation.

The method for forming and emitting control signals, which encompassesthe method for generating an ablation program, comprises several stepswhich correspond to those of the signal-forming or generating methodshown in FIG. 15. Therefore, these will be referred to below by the samereference numerals and will not be described in detail again.

Thus, in steps S110 and S112 or S114 and S116, respectively, datarelating to the desired ablation profile or to the water content of thecorneal tissue, respectively, are determined and stored prior toablation.

In step S118, which follows then, a beam cross-section and a pre-setinitial fluence value F₀ are input.

In the next step S126, a preliminary ablation program is then generatedon the basis of the read-in desired ablation profile, the input pre-setfluence and the beam parameter, the simple generating method used forthis purpose not taking the water content of the cornea or variations insaid water content into consideration. In particular, theabove-mentioned method of DE 19727573 C1 can be used. The preliminaryablation program which in turn comprises a series of coordinates forlocations on the surface of the eye 2, onto which the pulses are to bedirected, is then stored.

Following this, modified fluence values are determined for thecorresponding pulses in step S128 from the series of target locationsaccording to the preliminary ablation program, which values are assignedto the target locations while generating the ablation program to beused. After forming a modified fluence value, a control signal is formeddirectly and output to the laser 107 or the deflecting device 108,respectively. By suitable control of a high-voltage supply of theexcimer laser 107 and, thus, of the charging of capacitors in which theenergy for one pulse is respectively stored, according to the ablationprogram and by simultaneously controlling the deflecting device 108,ablation can be effected using a laser pulse with a position- orcoordinate-dependent pulse energy and, thus, fluence.

This involves successive processing of the series of target locations.The corresponding partial steps for determining a modified fluence of apulse to be emitted onto a target location (x_(j), y_(j)) are shown inFIG. 17.

In partial step S128 a, the first target location is initially read outin the first pass; in subsequent passes, the next target location isread out according to the preliminary ablation program. The latterlocation has the coordinates (x_(j), y_(j)) with j being the ordinalnumber of the target location in the series.

In partial step S128 b an acquisition of suitable data for the targetlocation (x_(j), y_(j)) is then effected by controlling the device 109for acquisition of water content measurement data through the dataprocessing device 105 via a control interface which is not shown.

The data are input via the interface 111 and are converted in partialstep S128 c to a water content H(x_(j), y_(j)) at the target location(x_(j), y_(j)) by means of the data processing device.

In partial step S128 d, a modified fluence value is then determined forthe pulse to be emitted onto the target location (x_(j), y_(j)), whichvalue is assigned to said target location. The modified fluence valuetogether with the target location (x_(j), y_(j)) forms an element of theablation program to be eventually used.

The fluence value is then modified such that ablation with the modifiedfluence achieves the single-pulse ablation depths that had been assumedas the ablation depth for a single pulse without taking the watercontent into consideration while generating the preliminary ablationprogram. Thus, based on above equations (1), (3) and (4), the equationD_(P,W)(F)=D_(P,0) (F₀) has to be resolved with respect to F, whereinD_(P,W) depends on the water content H at the target location via p(H).Using the models according to equations (1), (3) and (4), the followingequation is obtained for the modified fluence: $\begin{matrix}{\frac{F}{F_{thr}} = {\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}{{\mathbb{e}}^{\frac{\mu_{0}}{\mu{(H)}}}.}}} & (11)\end{matrix}$

This calculation can be carried out very quickly, so that partial stepS28 d can be passed through very quickly.

Suitable control signals for the laser 107 and the deflecting device 108can be formed and output to the laser 107, i.e. the high-voltage supplyof the laser 107, or to the deflecting device 108. The method is thenresumed in partial step S128 a for the next element of the preliminaryablation program. Like steps S110 to S122 above, steps S110 to S128 dwithout the formation and emission of the control signals provide anexemplary embodiment of a generating method of the invention accordingto the invention's second aspect.

Thus, apart from the model for the ablation depth, no assumptions needto be made with respect to the water content of the cornea. Inparticular, unforeseen changes in water content can be fully taken intoconsideration during formation and emission of the control signals and,thus, during ablation.

A third embodiment which represents a variant of the above-describedexemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 18. The instrument schematicallyshown here differs from the instrument of the previous exemplaryembodiment in that a modulator 116 which, in the present example, is aliquid crystal element whose transmission can be controlled by thecontrol unit 106′ is arranged in the beam path of the laser beam 3between the laser 107 and the deflecting device 108. Moreover, thecontrol unit 106′, compared to the control unit 106, comprises an outputfor control of the modulator 116, and the computer program executed inthe data processing device 105 is provided to control fluence, not bycontrolling the laser 107, but by changing the transmission of themodulator 116.

The fluence of the laser 107 is then set such that the maximum fluencerequired for ablation according to the ablation program is achieved bymaximum transmission of the modulator 116. During ablation in accordancewith the ablation program, the modulator 116 is controlled such that thepulses impinging on the surface have the desired energy or fluence.

In another variant, a beam-shaping device may be provided instead of themodulator 116, which device responds to signals from the control unit bymodifying the beam cross-section and, thus, fluence.

In other embodiments of the above-described method, the ablationthreshold value F_(thr) for fluence may also depend on the water contentH.

In a fifth preferred embodiment of a control signal-forming method ofthe invention according to the invention's second aspect, equation (9)is used directly in generating the ablation program, by giving a patternof target locations and resolving equation (9) for each target locationas a function of the number of pulses N_(W,i) to be emitted.

In a sixth preferred embodiment of a signal-forming method according tothe second aspect of the invention, the inclination of the surface ofthe cornea with respect to the laser beam 3 or to the z-direction isalso taken into consideration, in addition to the water content, as anapproximation for the direction of the laser beam 3 in combination withthe actual shape of the beam profile. Insofar, this exemplary embodimentand modifications thereof, in particular, also represents an exemplaryembodiment of the invention's first aspect. In the example, the laserbeam 3 emitted by the laser 107 has a beam profile with a Gaussianshape.

Whereas conventional methods assume the effective fluence F(x, y) to beconstant over the area of the pulse or of the spot, respectively, twofurther influences are now taken into consideration in addition to theinfluence of the water content. On the one hand, it is taken intoconsideration that the inclination of the surface to be processedreduces the effective fluence according to said inclination relative tothe fluence of the laser beam 3. If the surface to be processed isdescribed by a height function f(x, y), which indicates the height ofthe surface above the x-y plane, the angle of inclination θ of thesurface can be determined relative to the z axis and, thus, inapproximation to the laser beam 3 incident on the surface 2′, accordingto the formulaθ(x,y)=arctan(|grad f(x,y)  (12)

Thus, the fluence F(x, y) effective during ablation on the surface isobtained asF(x,y)=F _(P)(x,y)·cos θ(x,y)  (13)wherein F_(P)(x,y) designates the fluence for vertical incidence of thelaser beam 3 on the surface, i.e. at an angle θ=0. Therefore, F_(P)corresponds to the fluence or the beam profile of the laser beam 3.

The second effect taken into consideration is that the effective fluencevaries in accordance with the intensity or energy profile of the pulsesin a plane orthogonal to the direction of the laser beam 3 and that itmay thereby, in particular, also be below the threshold value F_(thr).

Thus, the actual single-pulse ablation volume results from the followingformula: $\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{V_{pulse} = {\underset{{Spot}\quad}{\int\int}{D_{P}\left( {x,y} \right)}{\mathbb{d}x}{\mathbb{d}y}}} \\{= {\mu\underset{{Spot}\quad}{\int\int}\ln\frac{F\left( {x,y} \right)}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}x}{\mathbb{d}y}}} \\{= {\mu\underset{{Spot}\quad}{\int\int}\ln\frac{{F_{P}\left( {x,y} \right)}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {x,y} \right)}}{F_{thr}}{\mathbb{d}x}{{\mathbb{d}y}.}}}\end{matrix} & (14)\end{matrix}$

Therefore, the single-pulse ablation volume non-linearly depends on theangle of inclination of the surface and on the fluence profileF_(P)(x,y).

In the case of known single-pulse ablation volumes, an ablation programcan be generated by known, simple generating methods, as described, forexample, in DE 19727573 C1 or EP 1060710 A2, according to which ablationprogram the mean ablation depth D_(M) results, in a uniformly or slowlyvarying manner, for a distance d of laser beam pulses directed onto thesurface according to $\begin{matrix}{D_{M} = {c\quad\frac{V_{pulse}}{d^{2}}}} & (15)\end{matrix}$

In this case, c is a proportionality factor resulting from the patternof the points of incidence of the laser beam's pulses. For example, anapproximately square pattern yields c=1, whereas an approximatelyhexagonal pattern yields c=2/√{square root over (3)}.

In the following, it will be assumed that the ablation profile as wellas the water content slowly changes in space with respect to the site ofthe distance d, or that the inclination slowly changes with respect tothe diameter of the laser beam 3 on the surface. In order to describethe spatial dependence of these spatially slowly changeable parameters,coordinates u and v will be used in the following, which are given in au-v coordinate system that coincides with the x-y coordinate system.Thus, the single-pulse ablation volume and, likewise, the mean depthD_(M) resulting from the pulses placed next to each other are to beunderstood as a function of u and v.

The effective ablation depth then results from $\begin{matrix}{{D_{M,{lst}}\left( {u,v} \right)} = {c\frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}\left( {u,v} \right)}\cos\quad{\theta\left( {u,v} \right)}}{d^{2}}}} & (16)\end{matrix}$

Now, it is only required to substitute D_(M,1st) for D_(P,W) in formula(9), wherein V_(pulse,1st) is determined using formula (14) in whichD_(P) is replaced by D_(P,W).

Thus, for all of the different surface regions to be ablated onerespective value of the beam-dependent and/or inclination-dependentmodification function as a function of at least the beam profile shapeand/or the surface inclination in the respective region, and a value ofthe water content-dependent modification function is determined, as wellas determining the pre-compensated desired ablation profile by the useof the desired ablation profile and of the values of the modificationfunctions, in particular the product of the modification functions.

In order to determine the locations onto which the laser pulses are tobe emitted, various known methods can be used, e.g. the methods alreadymentioned above and described in DE 19727573 C1 and EP 1060710 A2. In DE19727573 C1, ablation is effected in layers, i.e. locations ofimpingement or target locations are determined in a layer-wise fashionfor pulses, with the desired profile then resulting from superpositionof these layers. According to the method in EP 1060710 A2, the spotdistance is varied in a quasi-continuous manner in order to achieve thedesired ablation depth.

The calculation of the modification function is explained using as anexample the ablation of a spherical surface by a laser beam having aGauss-shaped beam profile (cf. FIG. 3).

The beam profile or fluence is described by the formula $\begin{matrix}{{F_{P}(r)} = {F_{0}{\mathbb{e}}^{- \frac{r^{2}}{w^{2}}}}} & (17)\end{matrix}$wherein F₀ is the peak fluence value, r is the radial distance from thecenter of the beam profile, and w is the distance after the profile hasdropped to 1/e relative to the value at the center.

For the actual ablation profile of a laser pulse impinging orthogonallyon a planar surface, this results in: $\begin{matrix}{{{D_{lst}(r)} = {{\mu\quad\ln\quad\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}} - {\mu\quad\frac{r^{2}}{w^{2}}}}},} & (18)\end{matrix}$so that the single-pulse ablation volume for this pulse is calculated as$\begin{matrix}{V_{{pulse},E} = {\frac{\pi}{2}{\mu(H)}{{w^{2}\left\lbrack {\ln\quad\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}} \right\rbrack}^{2}.}}} & (19)\end{matrix}$

As the mean depth of the desired profile for a square pattern of thepoints of impingement of the pulses, or spot pattern, having an edgelength a, a mean depth of ablation according to $\begin{matrix}{{D_{E}(r)} = {\frac{V_{s,E}}{d^{2}} = {\frac{\pi}{2}\mu{\frac{w^{2}}{d^{2}}\left\lbrack {\ln\frac{F_{0}}{F_{thr}}} \right\rbrack}^{2}}}} & (20)\end{matrix}$can be expected. If D_(E) were assumed to be equal to D_(Soll), d couldbe determined as a function of the location.

However, the spherical surface is actually inclined, except at thecenter, with respect to the laser beam 3 that is assumed to impingeparallel to the z-axis with sufficiently good approximation. As isevident from FIG. 3, the angle of inclination can be calculated in thefollowing manner as a function of the distance ρ of a location on thesurface of the eye 2: $\begin{matrix}{{\theta(\rho)} = {{\arcsin\quad\left( \frac{- \rho}{R} \right)} = {{\arctan\left( \frac{- \rho}{\sqrt{R^{2} - \rho^{2}}} \right)}.}}} & (21)\end{matrix}$

The inclination of the surface at the location ρ then has the effectthat both the spot distance in the direction of inclination and the spotwidth w in the direction of inclination are increased by the factor1/cos(θ(ρ)). Therefore, the ratio w/d in the equation for D does notchange with the inclination. However, the fluence does change in thisequation. Further, μ now depends on the water content H, for exampleaccording to the equations (6) and (7). Therefore, the following resultis obtained for the depth profile to be expected on the sphericalsurface: $\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{{D_{M,{lst}}(\rho)} = {c\frac{{V_{{pulse},{lst}}(\rho)}\cos\quad{\theta(\rho)}}{d^{2}}}} \\{= {c\frac{\pi}{2}{\mu(H)}{\frac{w^{2}}{d^{2}}\left\lbrack {\ln\frac{{F_{0} \cdot \cos}\quad{\theta(\rho)}}{F_{thr}}} \right\rbrack}^{2}}}\end{matrix} & (22)\end{matrix}$

This result may be systematically obtained also by assuming cos(θ) andμ=μ(H) to be constant over the spot area in the formula for thesingle-pulse ablation volume.

FIG. 19 shows a laser ablation device comprising a generating device ora control signal-forming device according to a further preferredembodiment of the invention, which differs from the laser ablationdevice of the first exemplary embodiment according to the invention'ssecond aspect in that the data processing device 105 is replaced by adata processing device 105′ and that a device 117 for acquiring thesurface topography of the eye 2 is provided, which device is connected,via a data link, to an interface of the data processing device 105′ forthe input of surface topography data to the data processing device 105′.Control commands for acquisition of surface topography data can also beoutput to the device 117 via this interface. The other components areunchanged so that the same reference numerals are used for them, and thestatements made in the exemplary embodiment with respect to thesecomponents accordingly apply here as well.

In the example, the device 117 for acquisition of the surface topographyof the eye may comprise an optical coherence tomograph.

The data processing device 105′ differs from the data processing device105 only by the interface 118 and the computer program used to programthe data processing device 105′ or its processor. The computer programcomprises program code so that, during execution of the computer programin the data processing device 105′, the method described below iscarried out.

In order to determine the ablation program and to form and emit thecontrol signal, the method steps schematically shown in the flow schemeof FIG. 20 are carried out, among which the steps designated by the samereference numerals as in FIG. 15 are carried out as in the firstexemplary embodiment of the invention's second aspect, and theexplanations pertaining to those steps also apply here accordingly.

Thus, in steps S110 and S112 or S114 and S116, respectively, datarelating to the desired ablation profile or to the water content of thecorneal tissue, respectively, are determined and stored prior toablation.

In step S118, which follows then, a beam radius w and a pre-set fluencevalue F₀ are input, the latter being the peak value of fluence over theGaussian beam profile of the laser 107. The shape of the beam profile istaken into consideration through the formulae used.

Then, in the next step S130, controlled by the data processing device105′, the surface topography of the region to be treated is determinedby means of the device 117 for acquiring the surface topography data.For example, the corresponding data may comprise heights of the surfacewith respect to the x-y plane, said heights being detected above a gridof points in the x-y plane.

In step S132, these data are then read into the data processing device105 via the interface 118′ for the surface topography data. Surfaceinclinations are then determined from the height data by numericaldeterminations of gradients, as well as determining the above-indicatedformula for the angle of inclination. The corresponding data are thenstored in the memory of the data processing device 105′.

The next steps then correspond to the steps of the method in the firstexemplary embodiment, although N_(W,i) is now determined using formula(22) for D_(P,W) in equation (8).

In this way, a pre-compensation takes place both with respect to thewater content as well as the inclination of the surface and the shape ofthe beam profile such that their influences, which are neglected whengenerating the ablation program by a simple generating method, are takeninto consideration in advance in a compensating or pre-compensatingmanner, and the actual ablation profile comes very close to the desiredablation profile.

The ablation method is suitable for both photorefractive keratectomy andLASIK. Since these methods involve the removal of material in differentlayers of the eye, the use of different desired ablation profiles may beaccordingly required in some cases.

The coherence tomograph of the device 117 may further be used todetermine the thickness of the cornea before and/or during ablation,i.e. to effect a pachymetric measurement. In particular, this allows toprevent the residual thickness of the cornea being below a predeterminedminimum value.

In another exemplary embodiment, a temperature measuring device, e.g. aninfrared camera whose optical axis is inclined at a sharp angle to thedirection of the laser beam 3, may be used instead of the device 109 forcarrying out confocal Raman spectroscopy. Said camera acquires data fromwhich the temperature of the cornea and, thereby, its water content canbe determined in a spatially resolved manner.

As an alternative, an optical coherence tomograph allowing to acquiredata which allow the refractive index of the corneal tissue to becalculated can be used instead of the device 109 for carrying outconfocal Raman spectroscopy. The water content can then be determined inturn from the refractive index data by means of the data processingdevice 105. The coherence tomograph may be present in addition to acoherence tomograph for determining the surface topography, if thelatter tomograph is provided. However, it is also possible to use thesame coherence tomograph for both functions. The coherence tomograph mayfurther be used to determine the thickness of the cornea before and/orduring ablation, i.e. to effect a pachymetric measurement. Inparticular, this allows to prevent the residual thickness of the corneabeing below a predetermined minimum value.

Further, a device for determining the air humidity in the region of thecornea may be provided, which device transmits humidity data via a datalink to the data processing device 105, where it can be included in themodel for the ablation depth.

In further exemplary embodiments, the repetition frequency at which thepulses are emitted onto the material or the cornea, respectively, canalso be modified as a function of the water content.

1-69. (canceled)
 70. A method for generating an ablation program forablation of material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by emission of pulses of a pulsedlaser beam onto the surface, wherein the ablation program is generatedfrom the desired ablation profile as a function of the shape of a beamprofile of the laser beam and of an inclination of the surface to beablated.
 71. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein in order toconsider the inclination of the surface and the shape of the beamprofile, the desired ablation profile is used to determine apre-compensated desired ablation profile as a function of at least theshape of the beam profile and the inclination of the surface at arespective target location on the surface, and the ablation program isgenerated on the basis of the pre-compensated ideal ablation program.72. The method as claimed in claim 71, wherein for at least two regionsto be ablated from the surface one value of a modification function isrespectively determined as a function of at least one of the shape ofthe beam profile and the inclination of the surface in the respectiveregion and the pre-compensated desired ablation profile is determinedusing the desired ablation profile and the values of the modificationfunction.
 73. The method as claimed in claim 72, wherein themodification function additionally depends on the intensity, the energy,or the fluence of the pulses to be used for ablation.
 74. The method asclaimed in claim 70, wherein a preliminary ablation program isdetermined from the desired ablation profile, for at least one of thepulses to be emitted a desired value is determined for its energy orfluence depending on the shape of the beam profile, on the inclinationof the surface at the region onto which the pulse is to be emitted, andon a prediction of the ablation depth using the preliminary ablationprogram, and the generated ablation program comprises the targetlocation of the pulse according to the preliminary ablation program andthe determined ideal value for the energy or fluence of the pulse. 75.The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the a preliminary ablationprogram is determined from the desired ablation profile, the preliminaryablation program is used to predict a predicted ablation profile as afunction of the beam profile shape and of the inclination of thesurface, and the ablation program to be used is generated using thepredicted ablation profile.
 76. The method as claimed in claim 75,wherein the predicted ablation profile is determined at least twolocations which are spaced apart from each other by less than thediameter of the laser beam on the surface of the body.
 77. The method asclaimed in claim 75, wherein the predicted ablation profile and thepredetermined desired ablation profile are used to determine apre-compensated desired ablation profile, and the ablation program to beused is generated from the pre-compensated desired ablation profile. 78.The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein the ablation program to beused is generated in an iterative manner in that, in an actual iterationstep, a preliminary ablation program is determined from a modifieddesired ablation profile determined in a preceding iteration step, anactual predicted ablation profile is predicted on the basis of thepreliminary ablation program as a function of the beam profile shape andof the inclination of the surface, an actual modified desired ablationprofile is determined using the actual predicted ablation profile, andthe ablation program to be used is generated as a function of thepredetermined desired ablation profile and at least one of the modifieddesired ablation profiles after the last iteration loop.
 79. The methodas claimed in claim 70, wherein a model is used by means of which thecourse of the ablation depth can be predicted for a pulse as a functionof the shape of the beam profile or wherein the beam profile is measuredin order to generate the ablation program.
 80. The method as claimed inclaim 70, wherein pre-compensation is effected as a function of anablation property of the material, which property depends on theindividual body, and/or as a function of a change in surface and/ormaterial properties to be expected during and/or as a result ofablation.
 81. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein topographicaldata of the surface are acquired in order to generate the ablationprogram.
 82. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the materialcontains water according to a water content, wherein the laser beam isguided over the surface during the ablation to be effected, and whereinthe ablation program is generated starting from the desired ablationprofile, additionally considering the water content of the material tobe ablated.
 83. A method for ablation of material from a surface of abody according to a predetermined desired ablation profile by means of apulsed laser beam, which is guided over the surface and has a beamprofile with a predetermined shape, wherein an ablation program isgenerated by a generating method according to claim 70, and pulses ofthe laser beam are directed onto the surface according to the generatedablation program.
 84. The method as claimed in claim 83, wherein atleast one of the following is used in order to set the energy or fluenceof a pulse: the laser beam is attenuated and the laser used to emit thepulsed laser beam is controlled so as to set the energy or fluence of apulse.
 85. The method as claimed in claim 84, wherein for at least twopulses the energy or fluence of said pulses is determined duringablation as a function of the shape of the beam profile and of theinclination of the surface in the region onto which the respective pulseis emitted.
 86. A device for generating an ablation program for ablationof material from a surface according to a desired ablation profile byemission of pulses of a pulsed laser beam onto the surface, said devicecomprising a data processing device which is provided to carry out agenerating method as claimed in claim
 70. 87. The device as claimed inclaim 86, comprising a control unit by means of at least one of thefollowing can be controlled: a laser to emit the laser beam, adeflecting device to deflect the laser beam according to a generatedablation program, and a modulator attenuating the laser beam.
 88. Thedevice as claimed in claim 86, wherein the data processing devicecomprises at least one of the following: an interface for input of datawhich characterize the shape of the beam profile of the laser beam, adevice for detection of the beam profile of the laser beam and a devicefor acquisition of topographical data of the surface to be ablated. 89.A device for ablation of material from a surface of a body, said devicecomprising a laser for emission of a pulsed laser beam, a deflectingdevice for controlled deflection of the laser beam, and a generatingdevice as claimed in claim
 86. 90. A method for generating an ablationprogram for ablation of water-containing material from a surface of abody according to a predetermined desired ablation profile by emissionof pulses of a pulsed laser beam onto the surface, wherein the ablationprogram is generated starting from the desired ablation profile andconsidering a water content of the material to be ablated.
 91. Themethod as claimed in claim 82 or claim 90, wherein in order to generatethe ablation program the water content is taken into consideration as afunction of the location on the surface or as a function of the locationin a region to be ablated.
 92. The method as claimed in claim 82 orclaim 90, wherein a model is used which indicates the dependence of theablation depth, which is achieved by at least one pulse emitted onto atarget location on the surface, or of the ablation volume, which isachieved by at least one pulse emitted onto a target location on thesurface, on the water content of the material to be ablated by saidpulse.
 93. The method as claimed in claim 82 or claim 90, wherein afurther model is used, which indicates, for a predetermined region ofthe material, the influence that pulses of the pulsed laser beamimpinging on this region or on adjacent regions have on the watercontent.
 94. The method as claimed in claim 82 or claim 90, which uses amodel for the water content or the change in the water content of thematerial as a function of at least the number and/or the position ofpulses previously emitted onto the same location and/or adjacentlocations in order to take the water content into consideration whengenerating the ablation program.
 95. The method as claimed in claim 82or claim 90, wherein the water content is determined from data measuredon the body, in particular by using data which indicate the temperatureof the surface or data which indicate properties of optical radiationoriginating from the material in the region to be ablated from the body.96. The method as claimed in claim 95, wherein data which are availableby confocal Raman spectroscopy of optical radiation from the surface areused to determine the water content or data which indicate theproperties of fluorescent radiation originating from the region to beablated from the body are used to determine the water content, or dataindicating the refractive index in the material are used to determinethe water content.
 97. The method as claimed in claim 82 or claim 90,wherein the water content is taken into consideration by determiningfrom the predetermined desired ablation profile a pre-compensatedablation profile as a function of the water content and generating theablation program from the pre-compensated ablation profile.
 98. Themethod as claimed in claim 97, wherein a modification function ispreferably used in order to determine the pre-compensated ablationprofile, said function depending explicitly or implicitly on the watercontent of the material to be ablated and wherein preferably the valueof the modification function at a respectively predetermined locationdepends on a desired ablation depth given by the desired ablationprofile at said location.
 99. The method as claimed in any claim 82 orclaim 90, wherein a preliminary ablation program is generated from thedesired ablation profile and, in order to establish the ablation programto be generated as a function of the water content, at least a fluencevalue implicitly or explicitly given by the preliminary ablationprogram, or a pulse energy of a pulse to be emitted onto the targetlocation given by the ablation program, which energy is implicitly orexplicitly given by the preliminary ablation program, is modified as afunction of the water content at the target location and is assigned tothe target location as an indication.
 100. The method as claimed inclaim 82 or claim 90, wherein in order to consider at least one of thefollowing: the shape of the beam profile, the inclination of thesurface, a desired ablation profile, which is pre-compensated withrespect to the influences of the beam profile shape or of theinclination of the surface, respectively, is determined from the desiredablation profile, using a modification function which depends on theshape of the beam profile or on the inclination of the surface,respectively, and the ablation program is generated from the determineddesired ablation profile which has been pre-compensated with respect tothe influences of the beam profile shape or of the inclination of thesurface, respectively.
 101. The method as claimed in claim 100 and 98,wherein for at least two regions to be ablated from the surface onevalue each of the beam-dependent and/or inclination-dependentmodification function is/are determined as a function of at least theshape of the beam profile and/or the inclination of the surface in therespective region, and a value of the water content-dependentmodification function is determined, and the pre-compensated desiredablation profile is determined using the desired ablation profile andthe values of the modification functions, in particular of themodification functions' product.
 102. A method for forming controlsignals for controlling a laser of a laser ablation device to emit apulsed laser beam and/or for controlling a deflecting device of thelaser ablation device to deflect the laser beam in order to ablatewater-containing material from a surface of a body according to apredetermined desired ablation profile by means of pulses of a pulsedlaser beam, wherein the generating method as claimed in claim 90 is usedto generate an ablation program for the predetermined desired ablationprofile and control signals are output to the laser and/or to thedeflecting device according to the ablation program.
 103. The method asclaimed in claim 102, wherein the control signals are used to control atleast one of the following: a transmission of a modulator attenuatingthe laser beam, the fluence or the pulse energy of pulses emitted by thelaser, and a beam-shaping optical device in the beam path of the laserbeam, said device serving to adjust the beam cross-section.
 104. Themethod as claimed in claim 102, wherein after generating a first part ofthe ablation program and emission of corresponding control signals atleast one further executable part of the ablation program is generatedand corresponding control signals are emitted.
 105. The method asclaimed in claim 102, wherein a preliminary ablation program isgenerated on the basis of the desired ablation profile and the watercontent is determined in order to generate the at least one further partof the ablation program for at least one target location on the surfacegiven by the preliminary ablation program, and the preliminary ablationprogram is changed by generating the ablation program as a function ofthe determined water content.
 106. A device for generating an ablationprogram for ablation of water-containing material from a surface of abody according to a predetermined desired ablation profile by emissionof pulses from a pulsed laser beam onto the surface, said laser beambeing passed over the surface, the device comprising a data processingdevice which is provided for execution of the method for generating anablation program as claimed in claim
 90. 107. The device as claimed inclaim 86 or 106, which comprises at least one of the following: aninterface for acquiring data which indicate the water content of thematerial or from which the water content can be determined, a controlinterface for a measuring device measuring data on a body, which dataindicate the water content or from which the water content can bedetermined, said control interface enabling the output of controlcommands for acquisition of measurement data to the measuring device, adevice for detection of a temperature of the surface, said device beingconnected to the data processing device via a data link so as totransmit acquired temperature data to the data processing device, aspectrometer for analysis of optical radiation coming from the region tobe ablated from the body, said spectrometer being connected to the dataprocessing device, a device for carrying out confocal Ramanspectroscopy, which device is connected to the data processing device soas to transmit acquired spectroscopic data to the data processingdevice, and a device for detection of fluorescent radiation emitted bymaterial at the surface of the body upon irradiation of the surface tobe ablated from the body, said detection device being connected to thedata processing device.
 108. A device for forming control signals for atleast one of a laser and a deflecting device of a laser ablation device,in order to ablate water-containing material from a surface of a bodyaccording to a predetermined desired ablation profile by means of pulsesfrom a pulsed laser beam, wherein the device comprises a generatingdevice as claimed in claim 105 for generating an ablation program fromthe predetermined desired ablation profile and a control unit foroutputting control signals according to the generated ablation programto the laser and/or the deflecting device for deflection of the laserbeam emitted by the laser.
 109. The device as claimed in claim 108,wherein the control unit is provided to generate and emit at least oneof the following: control signals of a modulator attenuating the laserbeam according to a generated ablation program and control signals tocontrol a beam-shaping optical device serving to adjust the beamcross-section in the beam path of the laser beam according to agenerated ablation program.
 110. A computer program comprising programcode to carry out the method as claimed in claim 70, claim 83, claim 90or claim 102, when the program is being executed on a computer.
 111. Acomputer program comprising program code stored on a computer-readabledata carrier so as to carry out the method as claimed in claim 83, claim90 or claim 102, when the program is being executed on a computer.